At North Suburban Dental, we firmly believe your child’s dental future is affected by the things done – or not done – during their early, formative years. Poor dental hygiene during childhood can easily carry over into their teen and adult years, leading to a lifetime of dental problems.
The reverse is also true. Good oral health in childhood should lead to oral health in their teens and far beyond, and a good, firm foundation in oral health will contribute to their overall good health.
A step of great importance any parent can take in establishing good oral hygiene habits is to make sure their children brush twice and floss daily, and one way to accomplish that is using a teeth brushing chart: a handy tool that records and rewards, their daily brushing and flossing routine.
By doing a simple Google search for teeth brushing charts you’ll easily find numerous sources for free, printable charts, and using one of these charts to establish a daily brushing routine has several benefits.
Here are three ways we think you and your children can benefit.
Literacy skills
Young children begin developing literacy skills even before they can read and write. Seeing information and printed text helps preschoolers understand that pictures and printed words convey meaning, just like the spoken word.
Motor skills
It might at first seem trivial but placing a checkmark on a chart requires a child to hold a pen and write. It may only be a checkmark, but it’s still a form of writing during their preschool years that helps develop their motor skills.
Personal care
Finally, and most importantly, using a chart to record this twice-daily brushing and daily flossing sends a message to your children that taking care of themselves is extremely important, and this kind of self-care helps set them on the path of practicing good dental hygiene throughout their lifetime.
And a fourth…
I know we began by talking about three benefits of using a teeth brushing chart, but while we’re at it and for good measure, we’ll throw in a fourth, emotional development. Creating routines and letting your children know these have to be carried out each day helps them understand what’s expected of them and how to respond positively, rather than complaining or worse, throwing a childhood tantrum.
North Suburban Dental: Highland Park’s Family Dentistry Specialists
We hope you find our suggestions helpful about the use of a teeth brushing chart to instill good dental hygiene habits in your children.
It’s also our hope that when any member of your family needs dental care you’ll come to North Suburban Dental. We have three clinics – Highland Park, Northbrook, and Mundelein – and we offer a full range of both general and cosmetic dental procedures.
We would like to have the opportunity to get to know you and have your entire family as patients. Our clinic numbers are:
- Highland Park, IL – (847) 432-1111
- Northbrook, IL – (847) 498-4415
- Mundelein, IL – (847) 566-5100
If you’re seeking state of the art dental care for your entire family, contact North Suburban Dental to schedule your appointment.
