As a parent, keeping your children healthy is a top priority. This includes maintaining healthy teeth and gums so they can face each day with a bright smile and avoid uncomfortable, expensive dental procedures. If your little one is resisting oral hygiene tactics, here are four dentist-approved tips to help them embrace excellent oral care. 

4 Ways to Help Children Embrace Good Dental Hygiene Habits

1. Lead By Example

Children look to adults for behavioral cues. This holds true when it comes to oral hygiene as well. Make a commitment to brushing and flossing twice a day and visiting your dentist twice a year for teeth cleanings. When they see their parents embrace good habits and discuss the importance of oral care, your children will follow suit. 

2. Avoid Sugary Drinks

One of the leading causes of cavities in children is the consumption of sugar. Instead of giving your child soda and sugary fruit juices to drink, choose healthier alternatives like water, milk, or club soda. Offer sugary beverages and desserts sparingly.

3. Play Brushing Games

If your child dreads the morning and evening visits to the bathroom for brushing and flossing, make the process a family activity. Do your best to make the experience fun by dancing to music or playing games like charades while you work on your oral health. 

4. Schedule Dentist Appointments

Most importantly, schedule family visits with your dental clinic every six months. By embracing routine teeth cleaning and establishing a rapport between your dentist and your child, you can make oral hygiene a life-long commitment. 

Athens Family Dental has been the greater Athens, GA, area’s leading dental clinic for over 25 years. If you’re looking for a caring, experienced dentist who goes the extra mile to put even the most nervous patients at ease, call their office today at (706) 548-3279 to schedule your first appointment. To learn more about this full-service dental practice and the myriad of services they provide, from routine teeth cleaning to restoring smiles with dental implants, visit their website.