Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Thwarting Bad Oral Hygiene Habits In Kids

By Rey Vetangelo


Everyone knows that if you want kids to do something willfully, you'll have to make it fun. When it comes to building habits, fun is a definite must! Oral Hygiene habits are very important for both kids and adults. It's a lifelong pursuit that will result in better long-term consequences if good habits are formed at a young age. The trick is figuring out how to make brushing your teeth fun. Here are a few tried and tested ideas that past parents have used to great success! Try them out and see if they work for you and your family!

Getting the braces out of the way when you're a child pays huge dividends your entire life, but if you weren't fortunate enough to experience them as a teenager, it's not too late now that you're an adult. One in five orthodontics patients are adults, according to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO).

At the age of 7-11, a kid's mouth will be full of growing action. Some take a little longer, but generally speaking, between the ages of 7-11, kid's mouths are very accepting of outside influence. Orthodontists like to call this 7-11 year old phase, "Phase I."

During this time, orthodontists can gently encourage teeth to grow certain ways and can avoid problems like overcrowding, overbites, facial non-symmetry, and can also reduce (or eliminate) the time a child will have to wear braces in the future.

Braces are extremely versatile: they can move individual teeth in various directions, closing gaps and creating more space all at once. Essentially, braces apply pressure to your teeth, slowly moving them over the course of several years. The root of the tooth presses up against the underlying alveolar bone, and over time the alveolar bone dissolves at the point of contact, allowing the root to move into place. At the same time, new bone is built up in the empty space where the root used to be.

Kids will enjoy brushing more if you make brushing fun activity. As you all brush together, you can listen to a favorite song, watch a short YouTube video, or watch a small hourglass. Not only are these activities fun, but they can help you time your brushing, ensuring that you brush long enough each time. Additionally, many kids TV shows include programs that address things like brushing your teeth.

It's important to remember a few things if you're considering getting braces as an adult. First of all, your bones have stopped growing, and they're much more rigidly in place than they were when you were 11. You'll have to wear your braces longer: an average of two years for adults. You will probably have to see a periodontist (in addition to your regular dentist and orthodontist), who will be able to see if there are any problems with bone loss or bone density.

Up till the age of three or four, you should brush your child's teeth for them. Sit them on your lap or kneel behind them and talk them through the brushing process. You can come up with a story about their teeth and the brush or simply talk about the different motions you are using to brush their teeth. When they are old enough to brush for themselves, make sure they follow the same pattern as you used, and brush alongside them so they can see what they are supposed to do.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment