{"id":86,"date":"2019-02-27T12:26:52","date_gmt":"2019-02-27T12:26:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/blog\/?p=86"},"modified":"2019-03-27T12:30:16","modified_gmt":"2019-03-27T12:30:16","slug":"oral-health-harrisonburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/27\/oral-health-harrisonburg\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Maintain Your Children\u2019s Oral health in Harrisonburg"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-88\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/AdobeStock_106939891__1535401709_27996-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Young boy smiling\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/AdobeStock_106939891__1535401709_27996-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/AdobeStock_106939891__1535401709_27996-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/AdobeStock_106939891__1535401709_27996.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Did you know that February is National Children\u2019s Health Month? As a parent, you do everything to keep your kids healthy, but it\u2019s easy to forget about their oral health. Some of the most common health issues in American children are tooth decay and cavities, so it\u2019s important to help them take care of their teeth. Thankfully, your dentist has some expert tips on how to maintain your children\u2019s oral health. That way, you can set them up for dental success in the future.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>How Does Poor Oral Health Affect Children?<\/h2>\n<p>Untreated cavities can lead to infection, pain, trouble eating, speaking, and learning. Studies show that children with good oral health attend more school and receive better grades. Additionally, it is estimated that 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related problems. For this reason alone, your child\u2019s overall health is more important than just keeping their teeth clean. With 42% of children ages 2 to 11 having at least one untreated cavity, it\u2019s important to help kids maintain a proper oral healthcare routine at home.<\/p>\n<h2>How Can I Take Care of My Child\u2019s Oral Health?<\/h2>\n<p>Getting your children into the habit of good oral healthcare at a young age will make them more likely to take care of their teeth on their own in the future. Thankfully, your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/childrens-dentistry.html\">children\u2019s dentist in Harrisonburg<\/a> has some tips you can use to help your kids protect their teeth and mouth:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Encourage brushing and flossing:<\/strong> Make brushing fun by cleaning your teeth with your little ones. You can turn on their favorite song to transform brushing into a party or brush your teeth with them to show them how the grown-ups do it. Be sure that they brush twice-a-day with fluoride toothpaste, for 2 minutes each session. They should also floss at least once everyday to remove plaque and food debris.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Give them water:<\/strong> Avoid sugary beverages while giving them tap water. Most tap water contains fluoride, which is a natural cavity-fighting mineral.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dental sealants: <\/strong>Ask your dentist if your child is a candidate for dental sealants. These thin coats of resin are applied to their molars to protect cavities from occurring in the first place!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Visit the dentist:<\/strong> Make sure your child sees their dentist every 6 months to prevent and detect oral health issues before they become more serious<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your child is younger than 6, it\u2019s important that you\u2019re always with them when they\u2019re brushing and flossing. At this age, they don\u2019t have the knowledge or dexterity to brush and floss properly, which is where your important job of facilitator comes in.<\/p>\n<p>Now that you know why children\u2019s dental health is important, use these tips to keep their oral and overall health in good shape. That way, their mouth can stay healthy for National Children\u2019s Dental Health Month and beyond.<\/p>\n<h2>About the Practice<\/h2>\n<p>At Harrisonburg Family &amp; Cosmetic Dentistry, we have a team of 3 dentists with a passion for caring for children. They understand the importance of good oral healthcare early on, which is why they want you to know these helpful tips. For any questions, they can be contacted through their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harrisonburgsmiles.com\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a> or by phone at (540) 432-6616.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that February is National Children\u2019s Health Month? As a parent, you do everything to keep your kids healthy, but it\u2019s easy to forget about their oral health. Some of the most common health issues in American children are tooth decay and cavities, so it\u2019s important to help them take care of their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Can I Help My Children Maintain Good Oral Health?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Did you know it\u2019s National Children\u2019s Dental Health Month? 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