Spring is officially here! The grass is greener, flowers are emerging, and the days are sunnier and longer. Traditionally, people love to spring clean their homes. Opening the windows and ridding your house of dust after a long winter is one of the best feelings!
Your child’s dental health needs a refresh in the springtime, just like your home, car, and closet. Though we emphasize establishing good dental health habits year-round, there are some things that are best to revisit after cold and flu season has passed. Here are five helpful tips to revive and refresh your little one’s smile this season:
Change Toothbrushes
If you bought a really neat toothbrush for your kids during Christmas, we applaud you! Now it’s time for a new one, even if it’s just a newer version of what your child was using. Some kids’ motivation to brush comes from their super-cool toothbrush. If that’s the case for your child, just toss the old one and replace it with the exact same one (if available). If you are using an electric toothbrush, 3-4 months is the recommended replacement time for the replaceable heads. Have they been sick? Cold or flu? If you forgot to replace you or your child’s toothbrush right after being ill, now is the time to throw it away and start fresh. The longer you wait, the longer the germs linger and provide a chance to re-infect your child.
Clean mouth guards
Spring sports are in full swing again, which means it’s time to pull the mouth guards out of the bathroom drawer where they lived all winter. Spring cleaning is a great time to soak your cases and give them a good scrub to clear debris and bacteria. The American Dental Association suggests cleaning a mouth guard by brushing it with a toothbrush and toothpaste regularly to remove any built up debris, then rinsing it thoroughly with warm, soapy water.
Ditch the sports drinks
When it comes to hydration during spring sports, water is best. Sports drinks have an excessive amount of sugar that contributes to many cases of tooth decay in kids. Like with any sugary food or drink, sports drinks are fine in moderation. Consider adding water to a sports drink and only giving sporadically.
Reinforce the importance of flossing
If you don’t already have a daily flossing schedule for your child, now is a great time to add it to the routine. “Sugar bugs” hide in between the teeth as well as the surface, which can cause cavities in between the teeth. Flossing is also stimulating for the gums and helps keep them healthy by ridding teeth of buildup where your toothbrush cannot reach.
Last but not least, make a spring dental appointment
Ensure your child is on a regular cleaning schedule! The single most important factor to consider in your spring cleaning routine is to schedule your next dental appointment, which is why we saved it for last! Regular visits are the key to early detection of any issues, as well as maintaining your child’s oral health. New to the area or need to establish a pediatric dentist for your child? We are here to help! Contact us today at (704) 377-3687 to get your child’s smile sparkling clean for spring.
