First Molar 12 mo. E - Second Molar 20 mo. Dental Health Habits Dental health is a family affair. The family's job, of course, is to make sure each member practices the rules of good dental health from day to day. Very early in a child's training, parents should begin to instill the principles of proper care of teeth.
Parents can teach their children good dental health habits by brushing and flossing their own teeth.
Daily dental habits should be taught along with feeding, washing, and dressing. It is possible to enjoy snacks and discourage dental decay at the same time. All you have to do is substitute the snacks listed here for sweets. When bacteria, normally found in the mouth, come in contact with fermentable sugars and starches, they feed on these sugars and produce an acid capable of dissolving enamel on teeth. For this reason, the earlier sugarless snacks are initiated and encouraged, the better chance the child has of continuing the habit and thereby having healthier teeth.