Water Flossing for Kids Fights Bad Breath

We try to drill the message of important dental hygiene into our kids’ heads every day, yet statistics seem to show that those efforts are largely unsuccessful. So much so, in fact, that the American Association of Pediatric Dentists reports that 42 percent of U.S. parents recognize that their children’s dental hygiene standards are not up to par. Yet if you feel you’re losing the battle of getting your kids to understand the importance of dental health, don’t be discouraged. There are several tools and techniques out there that can help make the process of brushing (and more importantly, flossing) easier and even fun for kids.

Helping Kids to Develop a Good Dental Perspective

The trouble in getting your kids to see why they need to take care of their teeth and gums is often due to the fact that the message of having a healthy smile as an adult typically falls on deaf ears. Most children have trouble picturing themselves in a week, much less 10-15 years in the future. Thus, you need to try and show what the benefits of good dental hygiene are in the here-and-now.

What about avoiding bad breath? Given their many daily interactions with their peers, no kid wants to be singled out as the one with bad breath. The trouble is that brushing alone often isn’t enough to completely prevent it. Much of the plaque and tartar buildup that contributes to halitosis falls into the spaces between teeth, which is almost impossible to reach with a toothbrush. Therefore, if your kids are to avoid bad breath, flossing needs to be part of their daily routine.

Water Flossing is the Way to Go

Enter the concept of water flossing. Rather than trying to prefect the process of traditional flossing, kids can use an easy-to-operate device which uses a pulsating watering action that serves to first decompress and then compress the areas between the teeth, allowing for the simple removal of all harmful particulates. Best of all, kids find the gentle sensation produced by a water flosser feels cool and even ticklish, which helps to turn the task of flossing into a fun activity.

While your children will enjoy the fact that water flossing helps them to avoid bad breath, you’ll rest easy knowing that it also helps prevent oral ailments such as:

• *Gingivitis
• *Gum recession
• *Tooth decay

It’s Never Too Early to Introduce Good Habits

When is it too soon to start introducing your kids to flossing? The truth, if they’re ready to brush, they’re also ready to floss. Starting early will help make maintaining good dental hygiene for toddlers a veritable breeze.

Your kids want to enjoy a happy, healthy smile and the pediatric dentist in Levittown PA we spoke with agrees; they just don’t yet appreciate the work that goes into maintaining one. By incorporating techniques such as water flossing into their dental hygiene regimens, and getting your childrens dentist to make flossing fun during the initial instruction, you can help them to develop healthy patterns that they’re more likely to adhere to as they get older.