Oral Health: Don't Ignore Your GumsOral Health: Don't Ignore Your Gums

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Oral Health: Don't Ignore Your Gums

When you go to your dentist, you are likely concerned about cavities and the stains on your teeth. If you are like me, then you probably never thought much about your gums. Unfortunately, this caused me to form a serious gum recession condition. My dentist said that hard brushing practices, poor flossing techniques, and even the consumption of sugary foods led to the recession. After some deep scaling treatments, I was informed that I needed a gum graft procedure. The gums are extremely important to your health. They provide your teeth with the nutrients they need and they protect the sensitive dental roots. The gums even keep bacteria away from your jaw bone. Don't ignore your gums like I did. Read my blog and learn about proper oral care techniques. Prevention practices can easily save your gums from necessary restoration.

3 Tips for Getting Your Child to Follow Proper Oral-Hygiene Habits

17 January 2017
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

As a parent, it is your responsibility to make certain that your child is as healthy as he or she can be. This includes your child's oral health. To help keep your child's mouth free of cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and more, here are three tips that will help increase the chances of your child developing good oral-hygiene habits.

1. Be a Good Role Model.

Your child is going to do what you do. If you aren't brushing your teeth, your child isn't going to think that he or she needs to. So, if you want your child to maintain proper oral-hygiene habits, then you need to show him or her how to do it and why this is important. One of the best ways to go about doing this is to make it a routine to brush, floss, and rinse with your child in the morning and at night. While this may be a bit time consuming at first, it will truly pay off in the long run, and you may find that it is a great way to spend some extra quality time with your child.

2. Choose an Electric Toothbrush for Your Child.

What child doesn't love an electric toy? So, why not combine that love for electric-powered toys with brushing of the teeth by purchasing them an electric toothbrush? You can even take your child to the store with you so that he or she can pick out his or her very own toothbrush (maybe a themed one, like a toothbrush with a Marvel superhero or a Disney character). This will make your child feel special and may help him or her feel more involved in the process, and that could make your child more interested in brushing his or her teeth.

3. Opt for Kid-Friendly, Flavored Mouth Rinses.

While it is vital that your child is brushing and flossing, it is important that he or she is rinsing as well. Using a mouthwash after brushing and flossing can help kill even more germs and bacteria in the mouth, and that can help prevent gum disease. However, kids shouldn't use the same type of mouth rinse that you would use as an adult. For one, adult rinses have significant amounts of alcohol in them and don't taste the greatest. Therefore, you should opt for a mouth rinse that is marketed toward kids and have a more satisfying taste. This will make rinsing a more pleasant experience for your child and increase the chances of his or her wanting to continue with the rinsing process rather than turning a cold shoulder to it.

Talk to a professional at a dentistry such as New England Dental Specialists of Norwood for more ideas.