No matter what you teach your child at home, there is no telling what they do once they get to school and they are around their friends. For most families, they know that it’s important to keep up with oral health and teach the children to brush their teeth as often as possible. However, this may be much more difficult once the child is around their friends and busy shuffling between classes. In order to make sure that your child doesn’t sustain any issues when you aren’t around, here are six tips for keeping their teeth healthy while at school.
Talk To Them
Dr. Ameet Trivedi,DDS says no matter what age your child is, it may be difficult to get their attention and have a conversation. This is even more so the case when the conversation has to do with dental care and oral health. After all, this typically isn’t a conversation that most children want to have. However, you might be surprised how receptive your child will be if you just sit down and talk with them about how important it is to keep up with their oral care at school. If you never tell your child to begin with, you can’t blame them for not knowing. But if you do have the conversation, then you can hope that they’ll understand what it is that you are saying.
Dedicate A Dental Kit To School
One great way to get your child to take more interest in their oral health while at school is by giving them a dental kit that is dedicated to this time. Asking your child to take their toothbrush from home to school can be very problematic. This is because you never know if they’ll forget the brush at school, which might make it even more of a challenge to keep up with oral health at home. Instead, just give your child a dental kit that has a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss that they can take to school. This will come in incredibly helpful in the event that the child has braces or another dental issue, as this will be the best way to keep their teeth and gums clean.
Pack Healthy Lunches
What your child eats during the day will have a big impact on their overall oral health. If you don’t pack healthy lunches for your child, then they may be more likely to eat candy or unhealthy snacks throughout the day. However, by giving your child a lunch that is full of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods, you can feel better knowing that their oral health is being cared for.
Give Athletes Mouthguards
If your child plays a sport, it’s important that you outfit them with a mouthguard. Accidents happen all of the time on the sports field, so it’s important to have a mouthguard to prevent this from happening. Your child may not like having a mouthguard while they are playing, but it’s certainly better than the possibility of losing a tooth.
Talk To The Teacher
By letting your children’s teacher know about your concerns for oral health, they too will keep an eye on the child while they are at school. Obviously you can’t expect the teacher to follow your child into the bathroom, but they can remind them to brush their teeth and avoid eating poorly during the day, if this is your wishes.
Keep Up With Routine Dental Checkups
Finally, be sure that you also take the time to schedule routine visits for the dentist throughout the school year. Not only will going to the dentist help your child understand how important it is to visit the dentist and keep up with their oral health, but your dental professional can also give you a better idea about the health of your child’s teeth and whether or not they’ve been keeping up with general care.