From a very young age, my mother has always emphasized the importance of brushing our teeth well. At 32 years of age, I have a good set of teeth totally free of decay and filling, (that's right! Not a single restoration.) not because I am a dentist but because of my mother.
Now that I know more than her about the importance of good dental hygiene, I can't stress it enough to my own kids.
this is the amount of plaque I can scrape off from the lingual surfaces and from between my teeth AFTER brushing AND flossing!As a baby, I used to have to clean Joseph's teeth while he slept. I used my extra long finger nail (on the pinky finger) to scrape off the plaque! Certainly this is not taught in dental school. But because he refuses to have anything stuck in his mouth, this was the only way to ensure clean teeth.
Now that he is older, he understands why he needs to brush his teeth. I also tell him that if he doesn't brush clean, lizards and cockroaches will come out at night to hunt for the food debris in his mouth.
He is also very disciplined with junk food. Whenever he receives a packet of twisties or cheezels or whatever else, he will keep until he has got my permission to eat. And if I say "no", he doesn't eat it.
At 5 years of age, he has yet to eat a single lollipop. Nope, he is not deprived!
Joy-Anne is still not very compliant with brushing. She lies still for 5 seconds and then starts turning away. Five seconds is not sufficient for a thorough brushing. At 2 years old, she already has 2 restorations and many more hypocalcified surfaces.
And she does not seek my permission with food given by other people. Just last week, our cg leader's daughter was giving out chocolates after dinner. And before we knew it, Joy had her entire face and both hands covered with chocolate!!! Apparently, Ashlyn asked Joy if she could eat and Joy happily said, "YES!"
Joy-Anne is still not very compliant with brushing. She lies still for 5 seconds and then starts turning away. Five seconds is not sufficient for a thorough brushing. At 2 years old, she already has 2 restorations and many more hypocalcified surfaces.
And she does not seek my permission with food given by other people. Just last week, our cg leader's daughter was giving out chocolates after dinner. And before we knew it, Joy had her entire face and both hands covered with chocolate!!! Apparently, Ashlyn asked Joy if she could eat and Joy happily said, "YES!"
So that's why, I would rather have her screaming and kicking now as I brush her teeth, than screaming and kicking in the dental chair when she has a toothache.
since joy is co-operative, put in sealants on all her molars. 2 restorations at 2 yrs puts her in high risk category.
ReplyDeleteevan has never tasted a lolly as well and he's not deprived.
haha... victoria also haven't had a single lollipop or anything sweet for 5 years... mostly becoz of her allergies but also becoz i'm like you, sweet things are no good. i don't think it's deprived like some ppl think, and i really frown at children at so young age eating junk food and stuff. but my william doesn't like to brush teeth, he jst chew on the toothbrush... how ah? any tips, ms dentist? ; )
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