It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
Parents around the country are cheering for the return of schedules and routines, so we want to gently remind parents (and kids!) of a few things that may have slipped through the cracks during all the summertime excitement!
No, It’s Not Christmas Time—It’s Back-to-School Time!
It’s that time of year again, when popsicle lunches and ice cream snacks (we’re not judging, here!) are being swapped for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lunch lady sloppy joes!
We want to make sure that kids are getting back on track with a regular brushing and flossing routine, as well!
A regular oral health routine is important because after we eat, food collects in our teeth and gums, and if we wait until bedtime to brush, food sits on our teeth for a prolonged amount of time; the longer the food sits on our teeth, the more time it has to create those cavities!
More cavities equal more trips to the dentist, and who has time for that?! So try to implement a good dental routine that teaches kids a healthy practice of brushing their teeth directly after eating meals, rather than waiting until right before bed—and if possible, have them rinse out their mouths after eating lunch when they’re at school! This will help break up any food particles that might be stuck in their teeth. Anything to help get the food off the teeth and prevent future cavities!
Good Night! Sleep Tight! Don’t Let the Cavity Bugs Bite!
We understand the struggle that goes with a bedtime routine and brushing teeth! Why can’t it just be easy? Keep in mind that children will require the help of an adult to properly brush and floss their teeth!
Parents need to help their kids brush until the age of seven or eight.
Flossing requires help until they are eleven or twelve.
Surprising, I know!
Flossing can be very difficult, as little fingers (and big ones!) have to get into all those hard-to-reach places! Parental help will ensure a good oral health routine is being taught early on!
Here is a great diagram on the proper flossing technique, which we like to call the “C” technique: make a “C” shape with the floss as you wrap it around the tooth.
For more information on the importance of flossing, check out a post we made a few months back!
~ Dr. Rhea Haugseth
Rhea M. Haugseth, DMD maintained a private practice in Marietta, GA from 1982- 2017. She attended the University of Louisville Dental School and completed her pediatric dental residency at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital / Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She is proud to be a Fellow the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy – National Honorary Organizations for Dentists.
Dr. Haugseth is a Past President of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry (SSPD), and the Georgia Academy of Pediatric Dentistry(GaPD). Dr. Haugseth has been a National Spokesperson for the AAPD since 1989 and has been frequently interviewed for radio, print, and national television.
Dr. Haugseth is the Founder (2013) and Director of the Atlanta Pediatric Dental Assistant School in Atlanta Georgia. She is also the Founder (2014) and Director of the Pediatric Dental Team Association. She is committed to pediatric dental team members and continues to develop ways to enhance their knowledge and skills both in and out of the dental office.