Good Dental Habits Have a Trickle Down Effect in the Family
Every parent remembers the moment when their baby, their pride and joy, became just a little too old for that goodbye kiss on the cheek or other
overt display of affection. At that moment, you may have felt that your parental sway had forever diminished. But a recent study from the Journal
of Dental Research reaffirms the influence that parents have in affecting the habits of their children. It found that the oral health of a child’s parents, particularly his or her mother, is highly indicative of that child’s own oral health condition.
If a mother has tooth decay, the study states, then her child is twice as likely as other children to have cavities. Just
one more reason for you, as a parent, to schedule those twice-yearly cleanings and checkups at your family dentist’s office. The example you set for your children will yield benefits for you and for them. Though their baby teeth are only a precursor to their adult smile, keeping those teeth well-cared for is important so they maintain adequate space and prepare properly for the full-sized teeth to come.
Poor oral health, on the other hand, can lead to a variety of diseases and health complications. Unlike your grandfather’s heirloom watch, tooth decay is one thing you don’t want to hand down to your family’s future generations. Plant the seed of responsible oral health habits and watch it grow in your children. They still look to you to set the trends–believe it!