The sweetness of Valentine’s Day often overshadows the importance of February being National Children’s Dental Health Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is the leading chronic infectious disease among children in the U.S. and it can lead to developmental issues affecting eating, speaking, socializing, learning and more. The good news is tooth decay can easily be prevented with proper dental care.
“It is never too early to teach children proper flossing technique,” said Kathie Marsh, Dental Assistant program curriculum coordinator for Anthem Education Group. “In fact, parents can start gently flossing their baby’s teeth as soon as two teeth appear.”
When educating your children about flossing, keep these five tips from the Anthem Education Group Dental Assistant program in mind:
1. Use a threader to assist in flossing. Threaders are especially helpful if you have braces or other dental appliances.
2. Floss before you brush so fluoride in toothpaste can reach between your teeth.
3. Guide floss between teeth using a back-and-forth motion.
4. Slide floss against the tooth surface and underneath the gum line. Pay attention to teeth next to toothless gaps.
5. Practice good flossing techniques at least once a day.
The Dental Assistant program is offered at the Irving campus of Anthem College, which is located at 4250 North Beltline Rd. Students learn chair-side skills, instrument and tray set-up and sterilization, dental radiography, dental procedural coding and dental office skills, as well as proper brushing and flossing techniques and more. For more information about Anthem College in Irving, please call 469-499-5100 or visit www.anthem.edu.
