Your child’s smile is such an important part of their appearance. Think of all the photos you have of your child beaming up into the camera. However, as children get older, they can feel more self conscious of any imperfections in their smile. If teeth are crooked or yellow, your child may try to hide their teeth, and no parent wants that. Luckily, there are simple steps that you can take to make sure that your child has the brightest, most beautiful smile possible. Here are some simple tips on how to improve your smile.
1. Consider Dental Sealants
Prevention is one of the simplest ways of how to improve your smile. If you stop any damage or decay from occuring, you can preserve the healthy, clean look of your child’s smile. For some children, it can be difficult to keep adult teeth clean. If you think that brushing alone may not be doing enough to protect your child’s teeth, talk to their dentist about dental sealants.
Dental sealants are protective barriers that a dentist can apply to the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth. Adult teeth have pits and fissures that food can easily become stuck in. When that food breaks down, it becomes food for harmful bacteria that can cause tooth decay and cavities.
In order to prevent this buildup of bacteria, your child’s dentist can apply dental sealants to their teeth. These plastic-like coverings fill in all those tiny spaces so that food can’t get stuck there. Since they’re impervious to bacteria, saliva, and food particles, your child can do all of their daily activities normally. Along with appropriate preventative care, dental sealants are a fantastic way of how to make your smile better.
2. Stay Away From Sugar
Diet plays an important role in the health of your child’s teeth. A lesser-known way of how to improve your smile is to avoid foods that can harm teeth.
Your child should avoid sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice. These juices have a lot of added sugar that sticks to teeth. This sugar then provides food for bacteria, which creates acid that results in tooth decay and cavities. Drinks with carbonation are even worse, since they have added citric and phosphoric acids that will wear down the enamel on your teeth. This can lead to cavities, tooth decay, and sensitivity.
For the same reasons, children should avoid eating sticky or starchy food that can get stuck in teeth. Once these foods break down, they will also become food for tooth-decay causing bacteria. Brushing after eating can help prevent damage by removing and stuck-on food, but it’s best to enjoy these foods in moderation.
In order to keep their smile white, your child should avoid foods that can cause staining. Red pasta sauce, curries, balsamic vinegar, berries, and various beverages can result in unsightly teeth staining.
3. Make Regular Dentist Appointments
To ensure that your child’s smile stays healthy and bright, your child should be visiting the dentist every 6 months for regular cleanings and checkups. During these appointments, the dentist can check for any decay or cavities. Early treatment of these issues can prevent any serious issues that can have a negative impact on the appearance of the teeth.
Every 6 months, your child’s teeth will be cleaned. Any lingering plaque will be removed, and the dentist will also remove tartar. Tartar is hardened plaque that can’t be removed by brushing — only the dentist can remove this harmful buildup to prevent any problems.
The dentist will then clean your child’s using a motorized brush with toothpaste. Generally, the dentist will also take x-rays of your child’s teeth to make sure that there are no other underlying issues. Catching these issues early means that they can be treated swiftly before they affect your child’s smile.
4. Get a Good Toothbrush
While it may not seem like a big deal, choosing the right toothbrush for your child can go a long way when it comes to how to improve their smile. Your child’s mouth isn’t as big as an adult-sized mouth, and they need brushes that are designed to fit their smaller mouths. Look for a brush with a head that’s small enough to fit comfortably between their back molars and cheek. It can be helpful to bring your child along to pick out a brush so you can better gauge the right size.
It’s important to choose a toothbrush with the right type of bristles. For children, choose soft, rounded bristles that will effectively clean teeth without irritating sensitive gums. Don’t buy toothbrushes that have added rubber bristles. These additional features don’t provide any benefits, and they can actually cut your child’s gums.
For children who are old enough to brush their teeth on their own, be sure to pick out one with a comfortable handle. Toothbrushes are made with a wide variety of handle shapes and sizes. While there isn’t a definitive rule for the best toothbrush handle for kids, you should make sure you think about a toothbrush that will be easy and comfortable for your child to hold. The right toothbrush is a simple but effective way of how to improve your smile. Better brushes means better brushing, and that means a brighter smile.
There are lots of steps you can take in learning how to improve your smile. From new toothbrushes to dietary tips, you and your child have plenty of options to help keep their teeth looking beautiful and pearly white. Don’t forget; there’s no substitute for regular dental appointments to help keep your child’s teeth looking their best. Make your child’s next check up with Children’s Dentistry by contacting us today.