Your child's health and wellness are important, so you may schedule routine physicals, vaccinations, and always prepare healthy meals and snacks. Unfortunately, placing importance on your child's oral health is also necessary. Tooth decay is a real problem that many parents understand. Yet, they do not follow simple recommendations by their child's dentist to protect their smile. Here are a few mistakes many parents make with their child's oral health. 

Giving Bottles/Pacifiers/Juice Cups at Night

Many parents provide their child with something they enjoy to help them fall asleep. Bottles of milk, cups of juice, or even pacifiers may be effective for soothing your child to sleep. However, these simple pacifiers are causing enormous harm to your child's teeth.

Food and bacteria will be on the milk in the bottles, in the juice, and on pacifiers that your child is using at night. This food residue and bacteria will buildup in your child's mouth at night and while they are sleeping. Brushing the teeth in the morning will help remove the food and bacteria, but the buildup has most likely already harmed your child's teeth and gums.

Instead of a bottle, pacifier, or juice, design a bedtime routine that will help relax your child. A warm bath, clean pajamas, a story, or even soft music will help soothe your child to sleep in a way that will not harm their teeth and gums.

Not Scheduling Professional Checkups

You may think your child is too young for regular dental checkups, but that is not true. Children should see their dentist for basic checkups and cleanings by the time they are 1 years of age or within 6 months of developing their first tooth.

These professional checkups are important for a few reasons. While they will help address early signs of decay and cavities, checkups also help make your child more comfortable with dental care. This comfort ensures they will continue seeing their dentist as they age and all through their life, which will benefit their oral health.

Not Flossing

As a parent, you probably have heard how important flossing is. Of course, flossing is not only necessary as an adult—it is also crucial that children floss to remove food, plaque, and bacteria from in between and behind their teeth and gums.

Most children do not brush as recommended, so they may not be effectively removing food and plaque. Therefore, adding flossing to their daily routine will give them a bit more assistance removing the residue that can cause decay, cavities, and gum disease. 

For more information, reach out to a pediatric dentist today.