How To Care For Your Child’s Teeth Like a Pro

With Halloween just behind us you might have your kids’ sugar consumption and dental care at top of mind. We spoke to Oral-B Stages dental expert Dr. Jennifer Salzer who shared some surprising tips to help you keep your kids’ teeth in tip-top shape.

1) Don’t let your baby go to sleep with a baby bottle.
A whopping 15% of kids have baby bottle cavities, received after going to bed with a baby bottle.

2) Be aware that cookies can be worse for teeth than candy.
We know, a shocker! While most parents think candy is the worst thing they can give their children for their teeth, in actuality, any foods that contains sugar or carbohydrates that can be broken down by the bacteria in a child’s mouth can cause cavities. So, the cavity-causing problem can be foods like chips and crackers because they stay in kids’ mouths longer. Yikes.

3) Ditch the sippy cups.
A sippy cup invites the sugar to stay on the mouth longer. Choose an open cup instead as kids don’t suck on it and therefore it means less sugar on the lips.

4) Use fluoride wisely.
It’s recommended that children should start using fluoridated toothpaste when they turn two. At first, smear the toothpaste on the brush. Once your child can spit efficiently, then you can use a pea-sized amount. Also, you can protect your child’s teeth through a diet high in green leafy vegetables, which is a natural source of fluoride.

5) Look at the mirror.
The most important tool in oral health besides a toothbrush and toothpaste is a mirror. A child can remove a lot more plaque if looking and watching while brushing his teeth.