“Did you brush your teeth?” It’s a common bedtime question that many parents ask, but simply asking for an answer and a showing smile might not be enough.
“Dentists say some parents fail to realize that children lack the motor skills to brush their teeth properly until they are 8 years old.”
Parents shouldn’t just supervise their children’s oral hygiene though, they also need to be concerned with what their kids eat and drink.
“Problems also emerge due to the consumption of sugars and acids, especially from sodas. According to NPR, drinking more than one soda per day increases the risk that the acids contained in sodas will erode enamel and the white color of teeth. The impact has even been compared to the effect of methamphetamine.”
Sugars, sweets, and sodas might be an everyday consumption for the average American child, but just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you should let your kid do it too. It might be stressful to count your kids sugar intake, watch them as they brush their teeth morning and night, and help them choose water over soft drinks, but in the end good healthy teeth can be important to their overall health and even their future social lives.
At the end of the day, just because your children can hold a toothbrush doesn’t mean they can properly clean their teeth and just because they want another dose of sweet sugar doesn’t mean it’s what’s best. It might be a continuing struggle, but some day when they’re grown adults with beautiful pearly white smiles, they’ll thank you.
Click here learn more about the dangers of soda, sugar, and childhood brushing.