03 Feb Let’s Talk About Children’s Dental Health with Dr. Krista Kunz of Magnolia Pediatric Dentistry in Mt. Pleasant, SC

February is Children’s Dental Health Month! Because we want the kids of Charleston to have the brightest, happiest smiles ever, we thought we’d go over three important aspects of pediatric dental care.

BRUSHING

Creating good dental habits for your children should be a part of every day. Try brushing your teeth with your kiddos. Modeling the behavior may be the best way for children to learn good habits. Let them watch you, and then work with them on their skills.

To begin, make sure you’re using a soft or extra soft bristle toothbrush. Use a pea sized amount of toothpaste for children three and older. For children under three, you should only use a tiny amount of toothpaste about the size of an uncooked grain of rice.

Be sure you’re brushing all teeth surfaces, front AND back. You’ll also want to make sure that they/you are brushing around the gumline.

As an incentive, you can display our teeth brushing chart in your bathroom! Let them put a sticker in each spot for morning and night when teeth are brushed, then bring it into our office and let them pick out a prize.

FLOSSING

Flossing is important because it removes plaque and food that is between teeth. If you can’t see space between your child’s teeth, the bristles of the toothbrush cannot get to that area to clean it. Brushing can only go so far, and flossing does the rest of the job. It’s not only good for your mouth, but helps prevent dragon breath, which makes morning cuddles with your kiddos much more enjoyable. Even if your kids’ teeth aren’t touching, you can still work on forming the flossing habit from a young age.

VISIT THE DENTIST

Visiting the dentist is one of the best ways to prevent cavities. Our primary concern is always the child’s health, and prevention is the best way to keep kids smiling brightly. Dr. Kunz always takes the time to answer all of your questions and give you tips on keeping your kids’ teeth healthy. She can also spot areas where tooth decay is just starting and treat it before it becomes a big cavity. If you wait to visit the dentist until a tooth becomes a problem, treatment options can be limited. If you visit the dentist regularly, she can spot potential problems and offer more effective and less expensive ways to keep you and your kids smiling. We do our very best to make visiting the dentist a great experience.