Temptations are everywhere. When it comes to dental hygiene, such is the case since birth. But as a parent, you are in the unique position to limit access to those temptations, and in turn facilitate healthy habits for when your children grow up and become independent adults. We are the pediatric dentist Elmwood Park services company that wants your kids and their smiles to succeed in life. And here’s how you’re going to help them do it.

What To Know About The Bottle And Oral Fixations

Giving your child a bottle is an effective way to transition out of breastfeeding. Mothers have used them for generations and they are undoubtedly effective in their purpose. But in the interest of preserving your child’s dental health, you need to be cautious with how often you depend on the bottle. For example, you should never allow your baby to go to bed with a bottle. And within 18 months, your child should be well on his or her way to weaning off the bottle entirely. Such is also the case with pacifiers and thumb sucking. All of these instruments that develop into an unhealthy oral fixation later in life that becomes extremely damaging to the individual’s teeth.

What To Know About Diet For Infants And Toddlers

With sugar readily available and always at arm’s length in America, it’s easy to underestimate just how powerful it is. But that’s why it’s especially important for you to keep an eye on your child’s intake. Sugar is the number one cause of cavities. It’s also highly addictive, which is all the more reason to be careful with your child’s intake. Be sure to avoid gummy sweets in particular. Also avoid raisins and fruit snacks such as fruit roll ups and other candies of a similar consistency. Inasmuch as sugar itself is damaging, the material of these kinds of foods make them doubly damaging to your child’s teeth.

What To Know About Diet For Teens

Once your child reaches his or her adolescent years, their interests will have probably evolved a bit. But just because they’re no longer particularly interested in gummy bears doesn’t mean they’re not still consuming large quantities of sugar. For example, something as seemingly harmless as a sports drink can quite easily lead your teenaged child to cavities in no time if he or she isn’t careful. Another often guilty culprit is the consumption of soda. But if your child has been drinking water with his or her meals since a young age, it’s less likely for him or her to develop an affinity for sugary beverages later on.

As the leading pediatric dentist Elmwood Park services company, we advise parents to take their children to their first pediatric dentist appointment after their first birthday. We see patients up until the age of 22 and we accept new patients up to the age of 17. To learn more about what makes our services so special, give us a call today at (201) 652-7020.