Growing up you probably heard your parents say, “Do as I say, not as I do” and swore when you had kids you would never repeat that same sentence. Now as you drink sugary sodas, eat chewy sticky candy and keep putting off that long neglected dental appointment, you hear those same words coming out of your mouth. As a parent it is important to teach your child good oral health beginning at an early age. But as we all know, children learn through example. If they don’t see you taking care of your teeth along with getting regular dental exams, chances are pretty good they won’t understand just how important good dental health really is. Studies have shown definite correlation between the frequency of tooth brushing in a parent and the same degree of frequency of tooth brushing in their children. Research has also determined both oral hygiene skills and a parent’s attitude toward oral hygiene play a major role in a child accepting brushing and flossing as part of their daily routine.

Often because of wide array of socioeconomic reasons, including not being taught proper dental care when they themselves were children, cost of dental procedures, lack of dental insurance and not understanding the importance of primary teeth, new parents have to be educated on how to care for their child’s teeth. Today, many pediatricians have begun teaching parents on how tooth decay can affect their child’s overall general health. They also are strongly suggesting a child have their first dental appointment between the ages of 12 to 18 months.

Ellis Dental accepts new patients of all ages and would be proud to be your child’s oral health care provider, they even offer well baby exams at no charge for all children under the age of 2. With two small children of her own, Dr. Ellis understands completely the challenges parents can face when it comes to teaching their children proper dental care. Please call us today at 314.965.1334 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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