Oral health is about the healthy oral-facial system, teeth, and gums and is of high significance as it helps to chew, smile, and speak. Maintaining oral health in infancy or early childhood promotes oral health later in life and is the key to a child’s overall health and learning abilities.

Risk factors for poor oral health

Oral health is at risk among children due to these factors;

High sugar consumption

Drinking or eating foods with added sugars, artificial sweeteners, candies, cookies, juices, chocolates, and bakery items.

Inadequate oral hygiene

Such as not brushing or even not brushing correctly or using each other’s brushes.

Children with poor oral health may face the following issues

  • Poor teeth development makes them conscious. For example, they cover their mouth while speaking with their hands or may stay avoid family gatherings as they feel shy to talk.
  • Due to mouth pain, they may lose concentration and not learn actively.
  • Poor oral health makes your child have a poor social life.
  • This can cause problems for them later in life as they may get this as a habit of not talking with anyone or not going out with friends, or having fun at family gatherings.
  • Bad oral health affects your child’s eating, sleeping, learning, or socializing abilities.

Ways to promote oral health

  • Parents should make their children brush their teeth with fluoridated toothpaste twice a day or do it by themselves.
  • Fluoride prevents cavities; if your child has any, it will help reduce them.
  • The child will develop the habit of brushing their teeth in adulthood.
  • Give your child beverages not sweetened, such as water and milk.
  • Eat acidic foods or drinks at mealtime; the best thing is not to promote these among children.
  • Avoid eating sweet or acidic foods before bed.
  • Take your child for a dental visit, or if treatment is needed, the dentist will suggest it.

Tips to promote oral health practices in children

Enhance brushing habit

  • To promote brushing among children, make your child touch the teeth of the doll or the toys they have.
  • Make them aware of their teeth’ health by reading the stories of teeth and smiling.

Awareness of healthy foods

Please give them the knowledge of healthy foods that promote healthy and strong teeth and those foods which can harm the teeth.

  • Many toothbrushes are available in the market specially made for children. Show them such toothbrush kits that will poke them to brush.
  • Make them watch the children brushing their teeth in families or by TV ads or cartoons that promote tooth brushing.

Conclusion

Oral health is the key to the overall health of a child. Parents can maintain oral health among their children by making them eat healthy foods and brushing twice a day properly with fluoridated toothpaste. Make them avoid eating sweet and sugary foods and drinks. Set a proper sleeping, eating, and brushing routine as these habits are developed at an early age.