Every year in February we celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month! As a dentist in Winter Park, FL, Dr. Allie Miller believes strongly in this month and spreading awareness for dental health. Here, Dr. Miller discusses the importance of focusing on dental health and how we’re doing that at Pediatric Dentistry of Winter Park this month.
Focusing on Fluoride
The American Dental Association (ADA) announced that this year’s National Children’s Dental Health Month will be celebrating water fluoridation. 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of fluoride being used in community water supplies across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named this effort as one of the top ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. We couldn’t agree more!
As if it wasn’t already important to drink water, fluoride just provides extra benefits. It’s been shown that having an ideal level of fluoride in the water supply can prevent tooth decay in both children and adults by at least 25%. We’re utilizing materials from the ADA to make sure children and their parents know just how important fluoride is for your teeth.
Know the Importance of Dental Health
It’s essential that both you and our dental team let your child know just how important their dental health is. On our website, we offer oral hygiene tips for children, so you can make sure your kids are right on track. For the little ones, we have fun coloring pages you can print off for them so they can have fun while learning at the same time!
We have helpful videos that show you how to brush your infant and toddler’s teeth. These can be watched with your children or partner, finding the proper way to make sure they’re getting as clean as possible. You can also look up ways to help them floss or fun games and incentives for them to brush their teeth.
Helpful Tips for Your Child’s Dental Health
If you’re unsure about what more you can do to help your child with their dental health, these helpful tips can provide you with some ideas:
- Replace their toothbrush about every three months. This is standard for replacing toothbrushes, no matter what the age. Make it fun for them by taking them along to the store and let them pick out their own! Having a brush with their favorite cartoon character on it can help them look forward to brushing their teeth.
- Keep them hydrated. Kids love juice and other sugary drinks. But introduce them to water at an early age. It’ll keep them hydrated while providing them with fluoride if it’s community water. Give them a taste for it while they’re young!
- Feed them healthy snacks. Avoid the gummies and other chewy, sticky, sugary snacks. Try low-sugar yogurts, cheese, or apple slices. When they do get the occasional candy, stick to chocolate instead of sticky candy that won’t be able to be removed from the teeth.
Children’s Dental Health Month at Your Dentist in Winter Park, Florida
Dr. Miller and the rest of the team will be celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month all February long — and beyond! Call us today or schedule an appointment online.