Don't Let Summer Steal Away Your Kids' Dental Health
School's out! This may be the happy refrain in your home as your kids envision almost three months of staying up late, sleeping in till noon, and lazing in front of the TV. Without the normal routine of breakfast with the family and lunch in the school cafeteria, however, kids often also spend summer making poor nutritional choices. Dental hygiene can fall by the wayside as irregular hours and activities occupy their time. Here's why you may want to lean in a bit on your children's dental health over the summer, and some tips on how to do so.
Cavity creation
Your biggest concern for your children's oral health this summer should be the potential for cavities. The battle for cavity-free teeth is neverending, and the break in good dental hygiene that can occur over summer offers plenty of time for plaque to win a few rounds. Usually, cavity formation is a gradual process, taking up to two years. However, when the increase in sugary foods kids usually eat during summertime meets with a decrease in brushing and flossing, this process happens much more rapidly. In fact, cavities can form in as little as three weeks.
One of the biggest problems with cavities is that they aren't easily visible. Further, they don't cause any discomfort until advanced stages. By the time your kids head back to school in the fall, those cavities may be well established. For this reason, you need to talk with your kids now about keeping one routine going during summer: oral hygiene.
Summer suggestions
The key to helping kids avoid cavities this summer is to think of some simple catch phrases, such as:
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Brush, don't rush. Sometimes brushing suffers because we scoot kids right from the couch to the car during summer. Letting kids lounge around is fine, but before you corral them for errands or activities, tell them to head to the bathroom and brush their teeth first.
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Floss, no loss. Remember that taking just a few minutes to ensure your kids floss can help prevent tooth decay and, eventually, premature tooth loss.
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Make time to stay in line. Schedule dental check-ups for your kids during summer vacation. The best time for this is about mid-summer, so any lapse in oral hygiene can be identified and remedied before tooth decay can establish a foothold.
You may want to brainstorm catch phrases of your own with your kids as summer begins. You could post them on the fridge or bathroom mirror where everyone will remember them all summer long.
Preventing problems
Although these may sound like trite suggestions, they are the ounce of prevention that is worth a pound of cure. Consider these figures about the current state of children's teeth in this country:
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more than 25% of children aged 2-5 have tooth decay; this figure leaps to 50% for kids between the ages of 12 and 15
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20% of these children receive no treatment for their cavities
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roughly 50% of children have gum disease
As a parent, with your children still young enough to be under your influence, you can make all the difference in impacting their dental health. You are a vital part of helping them establish healthy habits that will keep their teeth free of cavities and gingivitis.
This summer, let your kids enjoy their freedom. Say yes to sleep-ins and movie marathons. Approve ice cream sundae fixings and late night french fries. However, be a stickler for summer brushing, flossing, and going to the dentist's office. They'll thank you for it in the fall when their friends are missing school for emergency dental appointments. Don't let the summer slouch steal away your children's dental health.