Everybody loves pearly white teeth. We all start out with them when our first teeth come in, but unfortunately for many of us they don’t always stay that way even for children. We always want what’s best for our children: the best toys, games, electronics, and opportunities. Why should a healthy bright smile be any different?

With all of the candies, sodas, sweets and everything else out there, maintaining a healthy smile can be overwhelming. I’ve spoken to many parents who have tried all the tricks, but you don’t need tricks to rediscover what makes that smile bright when the truth speaks for itself. Below, I have devised a top ten list to help ease the task of keeping your children’s smiles brighter.

Brush and floss teeth twice daily. I cannot stress this enough, regular and consistent toothbrushing and flossing every day after meals can make or break that perfect smile. A good rule of thumb is to brush for two minutes twice a day every day.

Use a whitening toothpaste once or twice a week. The added whitening agent will help lift surface stains. It used to be that whitening toothpastes were pricier than their non-whitening counterparts and there were only a very few brands on the market to choose from. That is no longer the case.

Avoid or limit stain and decay-causing drinks. Coffee, soda, tea, and even fruit juices can all cause stains as well as cavities. While most children do not regularly consume coffee or tea, there are some who do, particularly among the teen crowd. When consumed too often, any of these drinks can do more than just stain teeth, they can wreak all kinds of havoc on the teeth. Most of these drinks are acidic and loaded with sugar, which can break down tooth enamel as well as lead to cavities.

If they must consume coffee, tea, soda, and fruit juices, then have your children drink them through a straw so that each sip is not first washing over the teeth. This will at least limit the contact between your child’s teeth and their beverage.

Even if you drink through a straw, it is still important to follow that up with another session of toothbrushing, or an oral rinse.

Brush teeth after eating candy, sweets, cough drops and even berries. Sticky, gooey, sweet candy can get caught between teeth where it can sit for hours letting all of the sugar leach out and around your child’s teeth and gums. Hard candy and cough drops aren’t any better. While I would never discourage healthy eating, berries also have a tendency to stain. The best thing to do after eating any of these, is to brush your teeth again.

Model the same kind of good oral hygiene behavior that you want your kids to use. Children learn by observing, so it only makes sense to model the behavior that we want them to learn.

Plan regular appointments with a local dentist who provides general dentistry in Bakersfield, CA.
Okay, so this one may seem obvious, especially coming from me, but you’d be surprised at just how many people will wait until after there is a problem before they will schedule a visit. The key to great teeth is prevention.

Ask about whitening options. We strive to provide you only with the tools and services that you truly need.

Consider getting touch-up treatments as needed which can range from every six months to two years.

Author's Bio: 

I'm just your average hygienist with a passion for excellence. I do what I do best, which is to help my patients achieve healthy smiles and provide & educate them with oral health care solutions and lifelong cosmetic procedures.