Pediatric Dentists’ Secret to Teaching Oral Hygiene

Pediatric care requires a special touch that not every dentist has the qualifications for.

Children need to feel at ease at the dentist office, and when visiting a dentist for the first time, they likely don’t want to get right to fixing a broken tooth.

Instead, an easy introduction to the dental staff and office helps them to familiarize themselves with the environment, exploring it and seeing that the people there care just as much about them as their family does.

Encouraging Children to Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Children like to learn, though it may not always seem that way. The reason is that they like to learn their way.

Oftentimes this means exploring the world around them and doing whatever they can to interact with what fascinates them at any given moment.

Simply telling a child how to properly brush their teeth may not instill the value or captivate their attention well enough to grasp and adhere to it.

Instead, helping a child learn through play, as in finding a way for them to learn while having fun and enjoying it, is the key to instilling good habits.

When visiting a kid’s dentist in Houston, they need that kind of interactivity to help them learn in a way that engages them.

Showing them how to brush teeth using a model and over-sized toothbrush teaches them a skill but in a way where they may feel like it’s a game.

Show them all the spots to get, encourage them with congratulatory speech when they accomplish a goal, and don’t chastise if they don’t have it quite right.

Making learning fun is one way that pediatric dentists can get children to maintain healthy teeth and gums well into adulthood.

Don’t Play on Fears

If a child needs to visit the dentist for a procedure such as getting a filling, avoid using language that may cause fear, such as “drill” or “cavity.”

Instead, focus on the positives of visiting the dentist. Things like “The dentist will make your tooth stop hurting” and “When you’re done, your teeth will be even stronger!” will go a long way toward boosting their confidence.

Using Familiar Imagery to Relate to the Child

Find some way to relate a procedure to terms the child understands. For example, if a child loves superheroes, a parent could say “The dentist is giving your tooth a suit of armor like Iron Man” instead of telling them that they’re getting a filling.

Or perhaps “A dental crown makes one tooth the king/queen of your other teeth” to use a fantasy reference.

Talking to the child in terms they understand helps them to understand what is happening or what will happen. They can better process the real situation in this manner.

Certainly, as a child gets older, usually into their teens, these methods may no longer be as helpful, but parents can still encourage their child with reminders that the dentist wants to help relieve pain and prevent it from returning.

Reinforce Habits with Repetition

It’s not enough to just teach a child a good habit, even if it is taught in an engaging way.

Repetition is the key to them remembering and following through with it. As a baby, keep up with brushing their teeth for them.

When they are old enough to brush their teeth themselves, do it alongside them. As long as they keep up a constant routine of brushing, flossing, and rinsing, it will ingrain the habit into their minds, and it will become second nature.