Your teeth are a really important part of your body even if those teeth are just baby teeth. They help you chew food and get all of the important vitamins you need from your meals to grow. Your teeth even help you talk, sing, and laugh with your friends.<\/p>\n
The better you take care of your baby teeth now, the healthier your future adult teeth will be. Here is what you need to know about taking great care of your smile.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll start losing baby teeth when you\u2019re around six years old, and it will keep happening until you lose your last baby tooth when you\u2019re around 12 years old. In total, you have 20 baby teeth as a child. You\u2019ll start getting adult teeth at the same pace you lose your baby teeth<\/a>. By the time you graduate high school, you\u2019ll have a total of 32 adult teeth! Check out this awesome baby teeth chart<\/a> to see more.<\/p>\n Your adult teeth are bigger than your baby teeth, and there are more of them. To make space for your adult teeth, your jaw and face also grow. You might have even noticed that as your siblings or cousins grow up, their faces also start to look older. In fact, take a look at your school pictures from one or two years ago, and you might even notice how your own face has changed.<\/p>\n Did you know there are hundreds of very small microbes and bacteria living in your mouth<\/a> right now? These are so tiny, you won\u2019t notice them. When you take good care of your teeth, your mouth will have a lot of good microbes that keep your mouth healthy and happy. When you forget to brush your teeth a lot or you eat a lot of candy, the bad microbes can take over, making cavities in your teeth.<\/p>\n When you brush your teeth<\/a>, remember the 2×2 rule. This makes it easy to remind yourself to brush your teeth at least twice a day, for two minutes each time. You can use a timer or play two minutes of a song you like to make sure you brush long enough. Your parents can also help you find YouTube videos that are made just for timing your teeth brushing.<\/p>\n Before you brush your teeth at night, don\u2019t forget to floss. You can use string floss or a flosser stick. You should floss at least once a day. Most dentists recommend flossing before your bedtime brushing to make sure there isn\u2019t any food stuck in your teeth before you go to sleep.<\/p>\n To make sure your teeth are extra clean, you can swish your mouth with a kids\u2019 mouthwash your parents can buy at the store. These mouthwashes taste great and have fluoride, that special stuff that stops cavities. But be very careful to always spit out your mouthwash and not swallow any!<\/p>\n Candy and soda<\/a> is tasty, but it isn\u2019t good for your body or your teeth. When you have sugary foods and drinks a lot, it makes bad bacteria in your mouth go crazy. These bad bugs love sugar and eat it, which makes cavities form on your teeth. To stop this from happening, you need to keep your teeth clean and only have candy or sodas as a very special treat.<\/p>\n Fresh, raw vegetables and fruits make your whole body happy, including your teeth! Crunchy vegetables and fruit, like celery and apples, taste great, and they also keep your teeth clean while you\u2019re eating. Instead of having a sugary snack, try a celery stick with peanut butter or a fresh sweet apple instead.<\/p>\n Milk and dairy products have a lot of calcium and vitamin D in them. Calcium and vitamin D are both really important for growing strong bones and strong teeth. Even though your teeth aren\u2019t bones, they need calcium just as much as your body does. Milk, cheese sticks, and low-sugar yogurt are all great things to drink and eat during the day.<\/p>\nYour face shape is also changing to make space.<\/h3>\n
Hundreds of Microbes Call Your Mouth Home<\/h3>\n
How to Keep Your Teeth Clean and Cavity Free<\/h2>\n
Brush twice a day for two minutes.<\/h3>\n
Floss before your bedtime brushing.<\/h3>\n
Swish with a kids\u2019 mouthwash after brushing.<\/h3>\n
How the Foods You Eat Affect Your Teeth<\/h2>\n
Sugary foods and drinks make your teeth sad.<\/h3>\n
Eat plenty of crunchy vegetables and fruits.<\/h3>\n
Drink milk and snack on dairy products.<\/h3>\n
Why You Should Visit Your Dentist Regularly<\/h2>\n
Your dentist will help teach you about your smile.<\/h3>\n