Rudyard Kipling said, “God cannot be everywhere, and therefore he made mother.” Mothers play a special role in our lives and this mother’s day we want to honor mothers everywhere for the important role they play especially when it comes to dental care of children.
We know mothers are a great influence on their children. Research also shows this. In a study conducted it was observed that women who were given a dental orientation during their pregnancy had greater understanding of oral health of their children. The guidance given during pregnancy affects the methods mothers employ when it comes to dental procedures adopted like early oral hygiene, first dentist appointment, duration of breastfeeding and also knowledge about what causes tooth decay.
Another study done on a random sample in 2005 also suggested that if mothers had extensive knowledge and positive attitude towards oral health then it has a direct correlation to more children brushing their teeth twice daily.
Mothers also play a pivotal part in prevention of dental caries in the children. Her role in prevention of dental caries starts when the child is in the womb. Early detection of oral health problems through screening in early pregnancy and prompt treatment at right time can prevent transmission of infection from mother to child. Routine dental checkups during pregnancy also are effective preventive strategies in inhibiting the transmission of cariogenic bacteria from mother to child.
The World Health Organization has said that healthy diet and proper feeding habits are important in prevention of oral diseases like early childhood caries, dental caries, dental erosion and periodontal diseases. Here again we see mothers who are educated about healthy food habits are more likely to ensure that their children eat healthy and develop healthy eating habits from a very young age.
In fact most good habits learnt from a very young age go a long way in developing positive health attitudes in adults. Parents are early influencers in this regard especially mothers who are the primary care givers till the child reaches the age of 5 years.
A parent’s dental fears (fears about dentists) are also found to impact a child’s attitude towards dentists. A child who has a parent who fears dentist is also likely to be anxious or fearful of dentists. Here again mothers can ensure that they take children to dentists at an early age where they can have a comfortable and relaxed experience which will drive away any fear in the child and help in forming positive associations with visits to dentists in future.
Mothers are our first teachers, they teach us to brush and floss and take care of our teeth. They are the ones who tell us stories about tooth fairies and hold our hands during our first dental visits, our root canals and our braces.
In summary our mothers are with us during our good and bad times and our first teachers. We must cherish this special relationship forever. On the occasion of mother’s day our team at Ensure Dental Care would like to wish all the mothers reading this a very happy mother’s day.
You can also call us on 940-274-6181 for an appointment with your mother at Ensure Dental Care today. We accept all major insurance plans. Follow us on instagram @ensuredentalcaresaginawtx for more.