Toothbrush technologies for kids: Making brushing fun

Toothbrush technologies for kids: Making brushing fun

Parents know all too well how difficult it is to get their child to brush their teeth before going to school or to bed. However, did you know that smart and innovative tech can make toothbrushing actually fun for your child?

Now that we are living in “the technology age”, there are many options available to make your child’s toothbrushing routine more fun!

You probably enjoy apps and smart products in nearly every area of your life, from voice recognition to smart TVs inside your car. Now is the time to use technology (such as smart toothbrushes) as part of a fun dental routine for your family.

What technology is available to parents and their children?

Available technology

From advanced electric toothbrushes to new, innovative apps, parents have many opportunities to make their child’s dental and oral health more enjoyable. Let’s discuss the apps out there and the toothbrushes available for children.

Apps

Apps not only make toothbrushing more fun for your child but also can educate them about proper oral care techniques.

There are many perks that apps are able to provide, such as providing timers to make sure your child reaches their two full minutes brushing, and prompts that remind your child to brush again.

Dental apps offer invaluable support in maintaining optimal oral health for young children. Here are some free apps you can use to help your children brush their teeth:

Brush DJ

This app plays music from your child’s device while displaying a timer that encourages them to keep brushing until the song ends. It also provides helpful tips on technique and reminders for regular check-ups.

Disney Magic Timer

Children can brush their teeth with the help of their favourite characters, from Elsa from Frozen to Spider-Man.

This app makes each brushing session feel like an adventure through a magical wood.

Chomper Chums

Your child will have a wealth of adorable characters to choose from to guide them through various toothbrushing challenges.

This app teaches proper brushing techniques and offers rewards for their efforts.

Toothsavers

This fun app gives kids an adventure to go on while brushing their teeth.

It is engaging and sweet, it teaches kids basic dental hygiene skills, and also showcases the time they spent doing so to encourage them to do a good job.

Brusheez

Kids, parents, and dental professionals have said that this app is tremendously fun for helping children brush.

Children can pick their pal and interact with the animations, choosing their unique colours and brushing alongside them during a two-minute timer.

Mimizaur

Looking for an app that will get your kids excited about brushing their teeth? Minizaur provides a dinosaur companion to accompany your child during their brushing. It combines fun and dental education, teaching them to brush properly.

Brush Teeth with The Wiggles

The Wiggles is a popular kids’ musical group that stars in this app in conjunction with dental experts to help build regular and healthy dental habits.

Brush Teeth Reminder

This is a simple daily reminder to stick to your dental routine. It can be used by adults and children. You can make it a family activity and brush together. You will receive two reminders per day, with two minutes to brush each time.

Brush Monster

The app is very simple and easy to use. It uses your device’s camera and dresses your kid in a tooth superhero costume. This mission is to banish your teeth’s enemies using your toothbrush’s powers. As you progress in cleaning your teeth, the mouth-dwelling monsters will become weaker, until you defeat them.

Colgate Brushing Adventure

This is a free iPhone app designed to make brushing teeth a fun and educational experience for children. The app offers two exciting games to play:

  • Plaque Attack: Where kids must defeat nasty plaque monsters while learning the correct brushing motion and speed.
  • Brushing Adventure: This game brings the children on a journey to surf the ocean and brush away the nasties with the help of a voiceover.

What about limiting screen time?

While apps may sound like a lot of fun to add to your child’s dental routine, it is important to limit screen time. Screen time is dangerous for children’s mental development, so it is essential to use it only when necessary. As long as your child spends no more than a few minutes looking at apps while brushing their teeth, the risk decreases.

Smart toothbrushes

We have smartphones, smart TVs, and smart cars, so it is inevitable that we all start using smart toothbrushes. It is essential for children to develop good oral hygiene habits as early as possible because it is the foundation for lifelong dental health. Let’s dive into the science behind such innovative gadgets and explore the transformation it does to our children’s teeth:

Built-in sensors

Many smart toothbrushes have sensors that let you know if you are brushing too hard. Brushing too hard can lead to gum damage and tooth enamel wear. The sensor will remind your child to ease up on the pressure, which can help your gums and teeth.

A typical toothbrush requires technique and focus to reach all areas of the mouth thoroughly. Children need to maintain the right angle, pressure, and duration when brushing, which some children may find difficult. The sensors act like a cue to let your children know they’re missing spots, which helps children learn the correct technique over time.

Built-in reminders

Consistency is the magic ingredient that helps develop good dental habits. Smart toothbrushes make it easier to stick to a regular schedule.

Apps can be linked to your smart toothbrush, which emits a noise when you need to brush your teeth next. This helps your child stick to their routine, which is essential for avoiding cavities and gum disease.

Parental monitoring and progress tracking

Parents no longer need to anxiously ponder their child’s brushing performance, as they can immediately review the data on their phone. You can also work with the child to see what areas of their mouth they need to spend more time on, creating a collaborative approach to their dental well-being.

Additionally, you can make it more fun for the child by offering rewards every time they achieve a perfect score.

Better plaque removal

Smart toothbrushes are better at reducing the risk of cavities compared to manual toothbrushes.

Children take years to develop their motor neuron skills, and handling their manual toothbrush means that they are almost sure to miss sections of their teeth when they brush.

Smart toothbrushes are designed to help children reach all areas of their mouth, including the gum line, which is often missed when using a manual toothbrush.

Technologically advanced toothbrushes can help give your children happier and brighter smiles.

Make brushing an exciting part of your child’s routine

Apps and smart toothbrushes are a modern and more efficient way to keep your child’s smile brighter and happier. By engaging your child in technology, toothbrushes encourage lifelong habits and will reduce parents’ anxiety about their child’s oral health.

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Oral health and success at school in children

Oral health and success at school in children

We, as parents, want the best for our kids. To be healthy and to do well at school. How do we ensure that they do their best? There are many areas of health that have an impact on academic performance, such as:

  • Kid’s mental health: Emotional and psychological health are major components of learning for our kids.
  • Proper nutrition: A Proper and balanced diet with all the necessary nutrients promotes development, memory, attention, etc.
  • Regular physical activity: Regular exercise and physical activity improve mood, body blood circulation, and memory and cognition.
  • Good sleep hygiene: Sleep helps children consolidate what they have learned. It also improves attention and mood.
  • Healthy ways of living: Actions such as limiting television and computer screen time for children, ongoing movement (activity), or staying away from drugs boost energy and mental clarity.
  • Good emotional well-being: Children should be able to deal with stress, be positive, and get on well with other people, which will improve their school performance.
  • Evenly balanced social well-being: Positive friendships, family relationships, and teacher relationships provide a rich learning environment in which children feel secure and happy.

When we think about children’s academic performance, we typically refer to all of these factors. Yet oral health in children is not always taken into account when measuring academic performance.

But could there be a link between oral health and academic performance?

In this article, learn about prevalent oral health issues among children, recent findings, and experts’ views that relate to focus and school attendance with untreated dental issues, and how the dental issues impact school performance.

Common oral health issues among children

First, let us discuss the most common oral health issues prevalent among children. Some of the common oral health issues that children endure that are likely related to school performance are:

  • Cavities: Tooth decay, also called dental caries or cavities, is the most prevalent dental problem in children. It is estimated that a large percentage of children suffer from cavities, mainly due to poor hygiene and high-sugar diets.
  • Toothaches: A significant number of children in the United States also experience toothaches. This pain may be caused by cavities or other oral issues.
  • Gum disease: Gum disease is not a disease that only adults can get, contrary to popular belief. Children can develop gingivitis or serious gum problems due to poor hygiene.
  • Malocclusion: Misaligned teeth or jaws can impair chewing, speech, and oral function.
  • Oral habits: Some habits such as thumb sucking or mouth breathing can lead to misaligned teeth or speech difficulties.

Evidence linking oral health to academic performance

Multiple studies have revealed an association between these dental problems in children and diminished academic outcomes.

Mechanisms by which oral health affects academic performance

How do oral problems affect academic performance?

Some proven mechanisms by which academics are affected by oral problems include:

  • Pain: Dental pain causes absenteeism from school and difficulty concentrating or participating in class
  • Discomfort: The discomfort caused by dental problems also causes concentration problems, lowering academic achievement.
  • Missing school: Children with poor oral health are more likely to miss school because of dental problems.
  • Sleep problems: Sleep disturbances interfere with children’s sleep. Fatigue from not getting enough rest also leads to lower grades and lower participation.
  • Social or psychological effects: If dental problems are too visible, children may suffer from bullying or social withdrawal, which significantly impacts their school performance and social life.

Many studies have shown a strong association between dental caries and lower school performance.

Mouth breathing and cognitive skills

Mouth breathing is one of the least known factors affecting children’s cognitive skills. Evidence shows how it affects children:

  • Oxygen deprivation for the brain: Oxygen saturation for the brain decreases when breathing through the mouth compared to nasal breathing. Low oxygen levels affect key learning and memory regions.
  • Sleep disruption: Generally, children who breathe through their mouths have problems sleeping due to airway obstruction and snoring. This causes daytime fatigue and sleepiness, as well as less memory consolidation.
  • Academic performance deficits: Some studies compare children who breathe through the mouth with children who breathe through the nose, showing that mouth breathers have more academic challenges.

Additionally, oral muscles may be less developed in mouth-breathing children, creating improper tongue placement. This can affect pronunciation and speech.

Socioeconomic and demographic considerations

Regardless of income, sex, age, or insurance status, children with oral health problems are more likely (between 40 and 50 percent) to have problems in school or miss school days.

However, by age, the greatest impact is on children between 12 and 14 years of age. Disparities in dental care can exacerbate dental situations, especially if there are children who do not have access to a dentist on a regular basis.

Interestingly, preventive dental care can help keep most children from having dental problems and decrease their difficulties in school.

Integrated approaches to solve this situation

There is strong evidence linking oral health to academic outcomes. However, we do little in preventive health to improve the dental status of children of all ages.

Early dental screenings in schools and community health programs can identify children at risk. Educators and policymakers need to incorporate oral health into measures to improve learning outcomes, which will improve academic performance.

Prevent oral issues and improve academic performance

As parents, there is much we can do. From avoiding unhealthy habits when children are young to scheduling regular dental visits to monitor dental problems.

Dental education depends on families, policymakers, dentists, and teachers. It is possible for all of us to improve children’s dental health and academic outcomes. Children’s health should be a comprehensive, collaborative, and community-based endeavor.

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Cultural Approaches to Children’s Dental Care Around the World

Cultural Approaches to Children’s Dental Care Around the World

Cultural Approaches to Children’s Dental Care Around the World

We live in a world of thousands of diverse cultures and different languages. Manmade borders separate our lands. Most importantly, we have differing forms of governance, ways of life, and healthcare that, although practiced in an array of ways around the world, universally aim to help cure the sick and improve our overall well-being.

When it comes to children’s dental care, we may see some practices that pass down from generation to generation, such as some rural communities that rely on using twigs from specific trees to pick their children’s teeth, to those more modern who have adopted electrical toothbrushes to achieve their glimmering smile.

This article explores the different cultural practices and beliefs surrounding children’s dental health and hygiene globally, beginning with Asia, Africa, South America, and North America, and ending with Europe.

Asia

In Southeast Asia, we can see the tradition of ‘oil pulling’. This is a traditional folk remedy practiced in ancient India. When practiced regularly, this ancient practice is believed to cure more than thirty systemic diseases. For those who experience side effects from modern medicines and oral hygiene products, oil pulling is an attractive substitute. It can also have positive effects on overall health.

How to apply oil pulling in children?

In children, a teaspoon of oil is ‘pulled’ and forced between all the teeth by swishing it all around the mouth before breakfast on an empty stomach. Parents need to ensure that the child does not swallow the oil or spit it down the drain, where it will clog the pipes.

For some areas where children suffer from oral ulcers and brushing is difficult, oil pulling may be an advantageous substitute. Traditionally, sesame oil is the preferred oil.

Would you try oil pulling as part of your child’s daily dental routine?

Miswak Stick

A Miswak stick is also a cleaning method in Asian, African, Islamic, and Arabian cultures. The end is often chewed on to remove plaque, bacteria, and food debris from the teeth. Dental professionals consider these sticks to be of interest as they contain properties positive for oral health. However, most dentists consider them a supplement and not a replacement for modern oral care methods.

Africa

Africa also applies the Miswak stick. This method is popular for cleaning plaque and improving overall oral hygiene, particularly in North and East Africa. Most people know it for its natural fluoride content and antimicrobial properties. However, oral health is a major public health issue in West Africa, with almost no solutions provided by the government.

How are adolescents affected in Africa?

In most African countries, adolescence, a key period marked by biological, emotional, and social evolution and development, represents a critical period to influence adult oral health.

In West Africa, the adolescent population is disproportionately affected by oral disorders such as gum disease and tooth decay compared to the rest of the world. These issues manifest from the lack of available services, treatment availability, insurance coverage, and oral health knowledge and practices. To combat this, the local regions must improve oral health knowledge, early childhood nutrition, and better social and cultural conditions.

The phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” stems from Africa, where community-led child rearing is a known practice. In some African cultures, groups gather together to brush their teeth. This not only promotes good dental hygiene but also strengthens community bonds.

The next time you want your child to brush their teeth, maybe you can make it a family activity and gather together in front of the bathroom mirror before bed! This may combine your family’s overall oral health and social well-being.

Americas

We see a different approach from South America and North America, given the different cultural approaches each part of the continent has.

South America

In South America, we can see a rich history of health practices derived from indigenous tradition and Western dentistry. Indigenous communities often look to natural resources such as the coca leaf, which can numb the gums and offer pain relief. However, due to its stimulating effect, the coca leaf is not appropriate for children’s oral and overall health. Chamomile tea and guava leaves can produce tea that can alleviate toothaches, which could be a healthy and natural substitute for over-the-counter medicine for your child.

North America

In North America, Western dentistry practices are the most popular form of treatment. However, there has been an uptake in more natural remedies and oral healthcare treatments in recent years. For example, many orthodontic centres have started offering therapy dogs as a company for kids and young patients who suffer from anxiety when visiting the dentist. Perhaps the next time you visit your family dentist, you can settle your child’s nerves with a fluffy friend to make sure that you are all smiling from the moment your child sits in the dental chair, to the moment you leave.

Europe

In modern dental practices across Europe, one can find the latest in dental treatments and technologies, from 3D imaging for precision diagnostics to advanced materials for fillings and prosthetics. However, due to the high costs of European practitioners, many Europeans from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the UK travel to Serbia and Spain for treatments that would otherwise cost two to three times more in their home countries. As dentists are often trained in Germany, the UK, and the US, Serbia and Spain can offer high international standards of orthodontic care while offering lower costs. 

Similarly, Poland is a favourite among UK and Scandinavian patients, offering 50-70% off home prices. High treatment and poorly implemented health coverage for the child population mean that large swathes of the European population are at risk of long-lasting negative impacts on oral and overall health. As a result, dental tourism has become more popular in recent years.

Natural remedies in Europe

Natural remedies are also present in Europe, particularly in Eastern European countries, where herbal rinses such as sage and mint have been passed down from generation to generation. In Europe, dental professionals advocate for a balanced approach between modern and traditional practices.

Different approaches affect the way we care for kids’ teeth

Despite the tremendous differences in ways of life across the globe, the universal objective of all forms of healthcare is to alleviate sickness and improve overall quality of life. Methods used in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe can be incorporated into your child’s dental routine to ensure they keep smiling for years to come. However, never forget to brush their teeth!

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Eco-Friendly Dental Products for Kids: Sustainable Choices

Eco-Friendly Dental Products for Kids: Sustainable Choices

Sustainability is one of the most important practices of this time, as we need to combat climate change and create a greener planet. Conscious consumerism is vital to cutting down on our overall waste. The way we approach our family’s dental routine can also become greener!

As parents, it is crucial that we strive towards an eco-friendly society and choose greener products that do not cause greater harm and waste to the environment.

Thankfully, there are a plethora of options available in dental care to leave the planet greener and contribute to your child’s healthy and happy smile!

What eco-friendly options are available for parents?

Let’s analyze some of the options available out there that are considered eco-friendly for dental care, but are also a good option for your children’s teeth:

Bamboo Toothbrushes

We discard billions of plastic toothbrushes every year. For most people, toothbrushes are considered disposable, with a short life.

Dentists recommend we change our toothbrushes once every four months, so it’s no wonder toothbrushes produce so much plastic waste annually:

  • “Normal” toothbrushes: These are made of fossil fuel-derived polypropylene, which is used to produce electric and plastic manual brushes. They have a big impact on the environment.
  • Bamboo toothbrushes: Toothbrushes made from bamboo are a bio-friendly substitute as they are biodegradable.
  • Electric toothbrushes: Electric toothbrushes are 11 times more environmentally harmful than bamboo toothbrushes.

However, it is essential to remember that bamboo trees are not always best for increasing biodiversity or growing trees to offset carbon emissions. For this reason, it is important to review which bamboo toothbrush to choose. Try to research the company to ensure that they produce their bamboo stock in a way that respects the surrounding ecosystem and does not intrude on land for food production or disrupt biodiversity.

Natural Toothpaste

Regular, store-bought toothpaste can be environmentally harmful. This is because toothpaste contains ingredients such as triclosan, carrageenan, microplastics, and artificial colours. Once toothpaste is down the drain, it can contribute to water pollution and have adverse effects on our fragile aquatic ecosystems and marine life. Similarly, toothpaste capsules come from plastic and go back to the landfill.

Although it may sound strange, it is possible to make your own toothpaste at home using simple ingredients. For example, baking soda, coconut oil, and peppermint. It can also be cost-effective. You will also avoid many harmful chemicals that will make you and your children’s lives healthier.

What can be better than keeping money in your pocket and making the planet greener?

If you do not have the time to make your own, you can purchase plenty of environmentally friendly and natural substitutes from selected stores. Many of them contain mint, salt, or aloe vera. Research your options and choose what suits you best.

Reusable Silicone Toothbrush Covers

Toothbrush covers keep your child’s toothbrush clean and protected from bacteria and germs. However, covers are often made from plastic, which contributes to unnecessary waste in the environment.

  • These covers fit over the toothbrush head. You can take them off every time your child cleans their teeth.
  • Silicone covers are a durable, easy-to-clean, and sustainable alternative to single-use plastics.

If you want to make a difference, choose durable products over single-use.

Compostable Toothbrush Holders

Toothbrush holders, where parents can keep their family’s toothbrushes safe and in place, are also usually made of plastic, which contributes to waste.

Did you know there are many alternatives to plastic holders that are made from eco-friendly alternatives, such as bamboo, corn starch, and wheat straw?

These alternatives are compostable and biodegradable, offering another tremendous solution to reduce waste and contribute to a healthier and greener planet.

Reduce water waste and use a compostable and reusable cup

Water is a fundamental component of brushing our teeth. However, we should all be conscious of unnecessary water waste when brushing our teeth.

We are all guilty of leaving the tap on when brushing our teeth, but by being extra conscious, we will avoid unnecessary water waste.

We should avoid using our hands as a substitute for holding water, as they contain germs and can make us sick. Instead, parents can give their child a reusable or biodegradable cup to help them brush their teeth.

Turning the tap off while brushing can save up to 64 cups of water. If you brush twice a day, you would lose 8 gallons a day, 200 gallons a month, and over 2,400 gallons a year!

Although 70% of our planet is covered in water, less than 1% is drinkable. By being extra conscious of our tap, we will make a considerable effort to conserve our water.

Environmentally friendly floss

Every year, we throw 5 billion plastic floss picks into landfills. Floss takes hundreds of years to break down. Many flossing products also contain harmful chemicals, microplastics and synthetic coatings. These are some facts why floss is not environmentally friendly:

  • Floss: Traditional floss is usually nylon which is a synthetic material. Nylon comes from fossil fuels which emit greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change.
  • Packaging: Packaging for floss also poses a major challenge to the environment. The cartridges that contain floss are plastic and we discard them too.

Alternatives include floss products created from bamboo, silk, or plant- based fibers. Parents can choose healthier and greener alternatives, with game-changing innovations that are 100% compostable and biodegradable and do not contain any harmful microplastics. Natural floss products contribute to greener oral care and to a more ethical planet.

Eco-friendly dental routines can protect your child’s future

Fighting climate change may seem like an overwhelming task, especially as a parent, as we are naturally anxious about the safety of our children and their futures.

Although it may seem that we have little control over the health of the planet, making little choices as day-to-day consumers can have a monumental impact on the health of the planet. Whether it is using a bamboo toothbrush or making an effort to decrease water waste, we can protect the overall health of our children and still be counscious about the planet.

By making small, greener choices, we can knock down the wall of climate change and build a greener future for our children. By educating your child on the importance of greener choices, we can lay the foundation for them to become environmentally conscious adults who will inherit and cherish a greener planet.

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Dental Milestones: What to Expect Year by Year

Dental Milestones: What to Expect Year by Year

Oral and dental health is of utmost importance for children to ensure that they grow to have beautiful, happy smiles and overall great health.

What can we expect of their dental development each year?

Although each child may be different in their own development, parents can refer to dental milestones from infancy to adolescence to get an idea of how their child’s dental well-being is progressing.

Keep reading to find out more about what to expect, from newborns to adolescents. This article provides the necessary roadmap to know what to expect from year to year.

A closer look at dental development

Dental growth refers to the eruption of the teeth from the gums, as well as the size and structure of the teeth.

Dental development refers to the important moments that shape the child’s overall dental health. 

Let’s look at different stages regarding dental growth and development. Remember that the ages in this article are only referential, and your kid may have different stages according to their specific developmental moment.

From birth to their first birthday

The dentist and other parents regularly tell new parents about the “teething years”. This teething phase refers to the development and eruption of baby teeth from their gums within the first year of the child’s life.

Parents can expect their baby to show its first teeth between 6 and 10 months, although it is difficult to predict precisely when this may happen. Baby teeth start in the jaw, and the two bottom teeth (or the lower central incisors) are often the first to appear, although some children may be different. For example, having no teeth at age one is entirely normal; some babies are even born with teeth.

There is also a wide range of experiences with teething, with some babies experiencing much discomfort and others having no issues at all. You can observe teething symptoms: drooling, crankiness, red and sore gums, and difficulty sleeping. Parents can offset the symptoms by distracting kids from their pain through playing games, offering teething rings to chew on, and offering chilled baby foods to relieve the discomfort.

From 1 to 3 years

If all goes well, parents can see the formulation of their child’s ‘baby smile’ beginning to take shape. By the age of three, the child should be sporting 20 baby teeth.

Once the child has a mouth full of teeth, parents can begin to organise their first visit to the dentist for an appointment. This visit will ensure that all the teeth have adequately sprouted and that all the gums and the rest of their dental health are well. Parents should schedule dental visits every six months.

Parents can think of their child’s baby teeth as the foundation to build their speech development and create the space necessary for their adult teeth in adolescence. As soon as any teeth appear, parents can begin to softly brush their child’s teeth and floss between them daily. This way, parents will help build a healthy habit that will foster the child’s health well into adulthood.

From 3 to 5 years

Welcome to the “preschool period”, where the child may rapidly improve their motor skills. For example, they develop a stronger sense of spatial awareness and gain independence in completing some basic tasks independently, even tooth brushing.

The development of teeth during this period is also crucial for improving speech development. Parents can supervise their child to ensure they are brushing correctly.

Thumb sucking, although a common habit during this period, if left persistent after the age of four, can impact tooth development, particularly the front teeth which may push forwards and cause problems long term. Parents can continue the development of teeth through healthy and whole foods to improve dental and gum health.

From 5 to 8 years

Children may start to notice their teeth starting to move in their mouths, with some loosening and moving from side to side, until they eventually come out entirely. This is to create space for when their adult teeth begin to erupt.

At around 6 years of age, the first molars begin to show, often behind the rest of the baby teeth at the back of the gums. These teeth are responsible for 90% of chewing, and there are two in each jaw. From the beginning of this ‘early school’ period, children will need around 6 years to lose all their teeth. Adult teeth will replace these spaces. The exception is their wisdom teeth, which may or may not come after age 13. Some discomfort may be expected, but nothing compared to the pain experienced during the first baby teething period (lucky us!).

From 9 to 12 years

We are now in the middle childhood period, and parents will probably see all their child’s baby teeth fall out of their mouths. The eruption and growth of their kids’ permanent teeth are slowly coming into view.

This may be a tricky period, as children may not have developed enough space for all their teeth, and misalignment or overcrowding may take place. This is why an orthodontic evaluation may be necessary. An orthodontic evaluation at this age will ensure that there is enough time to initiate pre-emptive measures for better alignment and oral comfort.

Some parents may seek an evaluation as young as 7, but so long as parents work with their dentist twice a year, there should be enough opportunity to help develop happy, healthy smiles.

From 13 years onwards

Most teenagers should have 28 adult teeth by the time they are 12 or 13 years old. One to four wisdom teeth, which are extra molars located at the very back of the gums, may erupt between 17 and 26 years of age. Not all teenagers may need to have them removed. Remember, regular check-ups are the key to avoiding overcrowding or other dental issues.

Teenagers are not renowned for their healthy diets, which is why guidance from parents is important to ensure plenty of water is being drunk for hydration and fruits, vegetables, and whole foods are eaten. These contribute to healthy gums and teeth. Similarly, healthy brushing and flossing habits ensure one’s health long into adulthood.

Additionally, at any age, if your child participates in sports, investing in a mouthguard to ensure their teeth are protected may be a good idea.

What can you do as a parent during all these stages?

Navigating your child’s health can be a minefield, especially with their dental development, as so many things can happen to your child’s teeth. However, prevention is key, and so long as parents regularly work with their dentist, children can expect to maintain their beautiful smiles from their baby teeth in childhood, to their adult teeth in adolescence.

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