five simple things you can do for your child to help keep their smiles healthy and bright

As someone who for a long time, had terrible teeth (they still need some work done). I am very careful about helping Annabella acquire good oral habits. I think its important to keep teeth healthy because dental work is SO expensive, and the only option our healthcare plan provides us with is Western Dental, somewhere I'm not willing to take my daughter. 

 Here are some tips on how to keep your child's smile Healthy

1. Teach them the importance of drinking water: among the other benefits, water helps flush bacteria that can cause plaque out of the mouth, I love drinking water, and I think its because my Nana always had some cold in the fridge, offer kids water instead of sugary drinks, or juices.
2. Brushing; This seems obvious, but many people don't know the correct way to brush, next time you are at the dentist have your child learn the correct way to brush their teeth. Encourage them to use small circles and brush each tooth individually so that they can be sure to get all sides.
3. Xylitol Gum:  Xylitol is an all natural plant based sweetener that has been proven to prevent cavities. Kids love gum, let them chew on one with xylitol rather then sugar. Trident has gum with xylitol geared towards kids! Trident has been around since 1967!
4. Avoid sugary snacks at lunch: It can be tempting to send kids to school with a cupcake or candy bar in their lunch-box, but avoid it, That sugar sits on their teeth for the rest of the day. Save sugary treats for home, and make sure that kids brush when they are done, this will form good habits. Try putting some apples with peanut butter, or banana bread for a healthy low sugar snack
5. Floss: Most cavities are found between the teeth, so be sure to teach your kids to floss, make sure that they get the sides of each tooth, and to be gentle with their gums. 

Teeth are so important, follow these tips and your kids will be on their way to healthy smiles

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.