It’s no secret that Aussie kids have a bad track record when it comes to oral health. According to an opinion piece by a senior associate at the Grattan Institute Matt Cowgill in the Sydney Morning Herald, nearly half of Australian children have at least a moderate amount of plaque on their teeth. About a fifth have gingivitis, which can develop into periodontitis which is a serious oral health disease.
So how can we curb our nation’s poor oral health track record? The best way to deal with children’s dental problems is to prevent them from developing in the first place. We’re not saying that you necessarily have to ban the lolly bag (although, it could help). Stopping the spread of tooth decay in kids and teaching them about how to take proper care of their teeth is much cheaper than taking more drastic action down the track.
So how can mums and dads keep on top of their kids’ dental hygiene on top of the growing parenting to-do list?
Oral hygiene for children and preteens
As kids grow up, their oral hygiene habits should grow with them. Between the ages of 6-13, children will have grown all of their permanent adult teeth, so it’s imperative that they keep their teeth healthy and strong to avoid cavities and oral disease. To get the best results, encourage daily routines that your children can stick with. For example, after breakfast and before they leave for school, and just before bed. Here are four things that all kids should make a habit of:
1. Use fluoride toothpaste
Unless your children are under the age of two or have fluoride allergy, your kids should brush with fluoride toothpaste for a full two minutes twice a day. As preteens become more conscious of their appearance and what their peers think, remind them that good oral care can help them look and feel better and improve their breath. Regular brushing can also help rid the mouth of nasty bacteria that leads to colds, flus and respiratory infections.
2. Wear a clean mouthguard during sports
It’s a no brainer that children who play sports should wear a mouth guard to protect their teeth from injuries. This isn’t just on the sports field, think about sports including karate, kickboxing and ice hockey too. Encourage your kids to get into the habit of cleaning their mouthguard properly after every wear. Not only will your mouthguard last longer, but it’ll be squeaky clean and fresh every time you’re in the game. The HyGenie Sport cleaning system has been purposely designed to clean mouth guards, and using HyGenie Sport is the quickest, most efficient way of keeping your mouthguard clean all the time.
And, don’t forget that mouth guards have a general shelf life of around 6 months. If you or your children are playing contact sport weekly, it’s worth looking at replacing it after each season.
3. Floss daily
It can be hard to encourage kids and preteens to floss daily, especially if you as a parent aren’t modelling the same behaviour. However, flossing is extremely important to help prevent cavities and keep bad breath at bay. Using dental floss regularly (once or twice a day) removes the build-up of plaque which can lead to tartar. Also, for self-conscious teens, an added benefit of flossing can make teeth look whiter and brighter by removing plaque and excess food particles that you may not see in the mirror.
4. Keep retainers and aligners clean
Nasty bacteria called microbes can build up on your childrens’ retainers and aligners when they’re not cleaned regularly. Not only is this bacteria unsightly and smelly, but can lead to an array of oral diseases. Not cleaning your teeth properly before putting your retainer back in your mouth can lead to bacteria sitting in between your teeth and trays. Over time, this could lead to bad breath, tooth decay, oral diseases and discolouration. Not so cool for school.
So how can you ensure your childrens’ retainer and aligners stay hygienically clean? Dr Mark’s HyGenie is a scientifically proven, all-in-one solution to cleaning your Invisalign® tray the right way. It takes less than a minute to thoroughly and hygienically clean and, paired with Dr Mark’s DentalFresh paraben and alcohol-free formulation, you’ve got a pH balanced and fresh retainer to wear after every meal.
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