Preparing Your Back-to-School Dental Routine (Part 1)

It’s that time of year again, where we hesitantly bid farewell to summer and embrace the beginning of a new school year that lingers on the horizon. Part of this transition includes building confidence and maintaining your well-being. Here are some tips to help solidify your dental health back-to-school routine as we approach the fall, no matter what age you are!

Elementary School-Aged Kids

When you help a younger child to establish dental hygiene habits early, it can significantly impact how they approach dental care for the rest of their lives. Here are a few tips to encourage a regular oral health routine:

Regular Dental Check-Ups: If possible, schedule a dental appointment before school starts. These check-ups function as a way for dentists to catch potential issues early and help your young ones to keep their teeth healthy.
Establish a Teeth Brushing Routine: Reinforce the importance of brushing twice a day. There are a lot of ways to make brushing teeth fun for kids, including using themed and colorful toothbrushes with their favorite characters and kid-approved toothpaste.
Pack Healthy Snacks: Tooth-friendly snacks like cheese, yogurt, fruits and vegetables are important to incorporate into a child’s diet. Try your best to avoid sugary snacks and soda, which can lead to cavities.
Fluoride Treatment: You might want to consider asking your dentist about fluoride treatments as they can help to strengthen your child’s teeth and prevent tooth decay.
Be a Reliable Model: Our kids often do what we do, so why not make brushing and flossing a family activity to reinforce its importance.

Middle School Kids

By the time children reach middle school, they’re starting to flex their independence muscles. Here are some tips that can help to continue to push them in the right direction in regard to oral health care:

Caring for Braces: If your child has braces, make sure that they understand how to clean around them properly. There are special orthodontic brushes and floss threaders that can help them to successfully accomplish this task.
Mouthguard Usage: Children these days are often part of multiple teams and play various sports. It’s important to encourage them to protect their teeth during sports and other physical activities by using a well-fitted mouthguard.
Healthy Eating: You’ll notice this is a recurring theme at every age! Encourage a diet that is low in sugar and high in calcium. This includes consumption of: leafy greens, dairy products and nuts as they are beneficial for dental health and can help protect tooth enamel.
Hydration: There are a lot of sports drinks being marketed today, but it’s important that we all do our part to promote the importance of drinking water over these typically sugary drinks. Water will keep your child hydrated and also helps wash away food particles and bacteria.
Regular Dentist Visits: Not to sound like a broken record, but continue with bi-annual dental check-ups to monitor your tween’s oral health and any changes due to growth or braces.

Dental health plays a significant role in overall well-being and confidence. By incorporating these tips into your own or your child’s back-to-school routine, you’re paving the way to healthier and brighter smiles. It’s important to prioritize oral health and we’re here to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Contact us for any dental health-related inquiries!