As a parent, you know how important it is to maintain and establish your child’s oral hygiene routine as early as possible. Whether you’re teaching them how to brush their teeth or taking them to see the dentist, you want their smiles to be healthy and strong. However, there might be more riding on their oral care habits than you think. Keep reading to find out how a healthy smile can actually set your child up for academic success this school year.
What Research Says About Oral Health & Academic Success
Simply put, recent studies have shown that there is a significant link between children with poor oral health and reduced school performance. Students dealing with dental trouble are more likely to miss school for trips to the dentist or have trouble concentrating in class because of a toothache.
From there, it’s like dominoes: frequent absences mean your child is missing classwork, which makes them less likely to be able to complete homework, and thus, they’re unable to catch up in time to perform well on exams.
Fortunately, proper dental care can help prevent oral health issues and set your child up for success this upcoming school year.
4 Back-to-School Oral Health Tips
Save your child from dental-related absences with these tips:
#1: Create and practice a good oral hygiene routine.
Make sure they’re brushing their teeth for at least two minutes twice a day and that they are flossing daily. Helping your child create and stick to a good oral hygiene regimen at the same time every day will help build these healthy habits so they’re as ingrained in their lives as breathing!
#2: Let your child get involved in choosing what products are right for them.
Having your child pick out what oral hygiene products they like when you’re shopping can make something as everyday as brushing their teeth exciting and personalized. Maybe they’ll find a toothbrush that plays music or has their favorite character or color. This gives them something to look forward to every time they brush!
#3: Pack nutrient-rich, balanced lunches.
Being a parent is hard work, and it can get busy. It might be easier to toss store-bought snacks and drinks into your child’s lunchbox, but most of their favorite treats are loaded with sugar. Anything you feed your child at lunchtime will sit on their teeth until they brush their teeth at night.
Protect their smile by packing a nutritious, well-balanced lunch.
#4: Schedule a dental checkup before the school year starts.
A back-to-school dental checkup is just what your child needs to start the semester strong. Their dentist will be able to detect, treat, and prevent any problems at their earliest signs before they develop into something severe.
About the Practice
At White Clay Dental, your child’s smile will be in the capable hands of esteemed Drs. Donald T. Bond and Timothy D. Ganfield. Dr. Bond and Dr. Ganfield strive to protect and preserve growing smiles by establishing good oral care habits and starting routine dental visits earlier in their development. If you want to schedule your child’s next checkup and cleaning, contact White Clay Dental at our website or by phone at (302) 731-4225.