Dental Tips for the Entire Family

Making sure your family is keeping their teeth and gums healthy can often seem quite difficult but your family dentist in Peoria, Dr. Ben Cooperman has a few tips to help.  

1. A lifelong dental cleaning routine.  

Get your family to follow a dental regime from an early age. Teaching your children to take proper care of their teeth from early on will help make it part of their daily routine and ensure they continue to take care of their oral health throughout their lives. Teeth should be brushed twice a day and you should use floss once a day. 

2. Knowledge is key.

Take the time to sit down with your family and discuss why it is important to take care of your teeth and what the consequences are. Explain how plaque and tartar damage your teeth and how they can cause cavities. Also, explain how their smile will be all the more beautiful with nice clean teeth and get them to show off their pearly whites. 

3. Make brushing your teeth a fun family activity. 

Having fun as a family will make brushing your teeth a great part of your day. Whether it’s funny faces in the mirror, your kids favorite music, a teeth brushing dance, anything you can do to make those two minutes it requires to thoroughly brush your teeth all the more fun, will encourage your family to take care of their teeth. It will not be a chore anymore but a pleasure. 

4. Fluoride

Making sure your family is getting enough fluoride is extremely important for good oral health. Fluoride is a mineral that has been proven to protect teeth from tooth decay and prevent cavities in both children and adults. Tap water, in most areas, contains fluoride. You can also ask your family dentist in Peoria, Dr. Cooperman, to take a look at the contents of the water your family usually drinks. 

5. Food & Drinks

According to the American Dental Association, what your family eats, and drinks has a huge impact on their oral health. Your family’s go to drink should always be water. Drinks that contain sugar such as juice, sodas and coffee should be limited. Eating healthy meals based on veggies and fruit is also extremely important. Foods that are rich in calcium and protein such as dairy products and lean meats also play an important role in protecting and rebuilding your tooth enamel.

6. Schedule routine checkups.

We can’t say it enough, getting your family to regularly visit the dentist, at least once a year, is of vital importance. This allows your dentist to check up on their oral health and catch any problems that may lead to serious issues down the road. It also sets them up for a routine cleaning to clear away any tartar buildup which can cause cavities. And of course, we do our best to make going to the dentist fun. Dr. Cooperman is great with kids and you will always find a video game console and other forms of entertainment in the waiting room. 

If you have any questions or require more information, don’t hesitate to call us. Dr. Cooperman, your family dentist in Peoria is always available to help. We care about you and your family's smiles.