Now that we’re facing a whole new year, it’s time to evaluate your family’s oral health and set some goals to keep all the smiles in your house healthy in 2018. Beck Dental Care is here to help you! Today, we’re giving you some advice on how to achieve your family’s smile goals, and how our team in Columbia, TN can help! If you’ve ever started a new diet or tried to quit a bad habit, then you probably already know how helpful it is to have an accountability partner. Well, what better way to stay on track with your oral health goals than by letting the whole family participate? You’ll have your own built-in network of support as you strive to make a healthy smile the goal for your family this year.
Set Everyone Up For Oral Hygiene Success
This can be challenging on all fronts! First of all, toddlers who are just learning to brush and floss their teeth properly need help from you. They also may try to resist these daily habits because it might signal that it’s time for bed. Second, you may have older children who are independent enough to brush and floss on their own, but they’re too old for constant supervision. When faced with these challenges, it’s helpful to lead by example. If they see that oral hygiene is important to you, it will become important to them as they get older.
Another way to encourage everyone in the house to be vigilant with oral care is to make it a family affair. This is especially helpful with smaller children. Create a reward system or use your teenager’s favorite songs to time your brushing routine. Have the kids take turns each day being in charge of reminding the family that it’s time to brush and floss.
Anything you can do to make this a natural part of your daily routine will help your family prevent cavities and gum disease.
Take Stock Of What’s In Your Kitchen
Maybe you and your spouse have already made a resolution for better health that involve making positive changes to your diet. If so, you’re already ahead of the curve! But if you’re not someone who finds it necessary to modify your diet at the start of a year, then it might be time to take stock of what’s in your kitchen for the sake of your family’s oral health. This is an important step to take because many dental problems are caused by what you eat and drink. Drinking plenty of water, for example, is a better choice than gulping down soda after soda. Water keeps you hydrated and your teeth protected by saliva.
Freshly cut veggies like celery and carrots are a healthier option, as you know, but especially for teeth. They promote saliva because of their crunchiness, but they also scrub your teeth clean as you chew them. So do apples, in fact!So ditch the sugary treats and beverages, and instead, make sure your kitchen is well stocked with healthier options that will protect your teeth and gums from tooth decay and gum disease.
Put Dental Cleanings On The Calendar
Being a parent is incredibly rewarding. But it certainly comes with tremendous responsibilities! Managing an entire household demands attention to detail, knowing how to anticipate potential problems, and excellent time management skills. Before the hectic, varying schedule demands sweep your family into the hectic daily grind, go ahead and schedule two dental cleanings and exams for 2018. It’s another way to set your family up for success in reaching smile goals.
If you put the appointments on the family calendar now, you will have it locked in place so you don’t have trouble with the many scheduling conflicts that will surely present themselves throughout the year.
Make Your Family’s Appointment!
We know how important your family is to you. But we also know the challenges adults face managing everyone’s schedules from day to day. That’s why we do all we can to make sure everyone in your family receives high-quality care in the most convenient way possible. At Beck Dental Care, you’ll find wide-ranging services to suit the various needs of all the smiles in your household.
By calling today and scheduling at least two dental cleanings and exams for your family this year, you’re taking the first step in setting everyone up for success when it comes to reaching better oral health for great-looking smiles!
Call our Columbia, TN dental office today at (931) 388-8452 or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment with us.