Every person develops a mental image of themselves, whether that image is developed through interactions with our friends, family, and peers, or with measured self-reflection. As a parent, helping to foster a healthy self-image is a crucial aspect of helping your child to develop into a confident young adult. Today, Dr. Scott’s pediatric dentistry team will discuss how oral hygiene is critical for your child’s self-image.
Psychological Impact of Oral Health
The condition of our mouth can have a major impact on our children’s self-esteem. Our teeth can influence how they look, speak, eat, socialize, and much more. Studies have shown that people who are confident in the state of their teeth, are more likely to have a positive state of mind, will smile more, and are generally more confident in their interactions.
These factors can be even more impactful during a child’s formative years. Unfortunately, children can be quite cruel to one another, and often make fun of each other for a number of reasons. In many cases, these problems can be tied to structural issues like gaps or crooked teeth. And while those issues can eventually be fixed with orthodontic work, oral hygiene is often unrelated. However, oral hygiene can impact things like gum disease, which do have a major impact on the appearance of your child’s teeth.
How to Instill Positive Oral Habits?
Helping your children to develop healthy oral hygiene habits does not have to be a struggle. While every child will try to skip brushing their teeth from time to time, if you develop healthy habits early they are more likely to stick with them as they age. Around the age of four to six, begin to allow your child to brush their own teeth, while you monitor, of course.
One fun tip you can use to ensure your child is doing a good job brushing is to buy an over-the-counter dental disclosing tablet, which turns bacterial plaque a bright color. This makes it easy for them to see how efficiently they are removing plaque when they brush — plus it’s fun for them to see the areas they missed.
Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Scott Today
The pediatric dentistry team at Parkcrest Dental Group — led by Dr. Scott — are experts at helping children develop healthy, happy smiles. Schedule an appointment today and become part of the Parkcrest family. You can call our team directly at 417-887-1220 or, schedule your appointment online. We look forward to seeing you!
