What brings a smile to your kids?
February 14, 2008 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Yes, children make us smile. They are just too adorable, cute, funny, lovable little people! And if you haven’t checked out our February contest on loving moments you have with your kids, now is the time to do so.
But February isn’t just the month of love for our kids (and everyone else on the planet).
It’s also the National Children’s Dental Health Month (what a segue, huh?) And so, here are just a few reminders on dental care to give our kids a reason to smile –
- Begin oral care early. Wipe the baby’s gums with a wet washcloth or a clean gauze pad after each feeding.
- Babies and toddlers should finish their naptime and bedtime bottles before going to bed. Never allow your baby or toddler to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices or sweetened liquids OR a pacifier dipped in sugar or honey.
- Encourage children to drink from a cup by their first birthday.
- Don’t let children constantly sip on sugary liquids (including milk and juice) from training (sippy) cups. Offer these liquids at mealtimes.
- Help your child develop good eating habits early and choose nutritious snacks.
If you haven’t done so yet, now is the time to get your children appointments with the dentist. In fact, the American Dental Association recommends the first dental visit to be within 6 months of the first tooth erupting, and no later than a child’s first birthday. When it comes to dental care, prevention is so much easier, and less scary for a child, than dealing with tooth damage later in the preschool years.
In any case, back to the post title – what brings a smile to your kids? Aside from having great teeth, I am sure you can think of more reasons that make your children break out in laughter, giggle and smile. I would love to hear about them too!
