Your toddler gains autonomy over their body as they continue to grow, but it is still important for you to supervise their routines and to guide their decisions. You need to make sure that you are helping them to make good choices for their oral health. Here are three tips for maintaining your toddler's oral health.

Stick to milk and formula in overnight bottles.

Baby bottle tooth rot is usually localized to the front teeth when your young toddler uses a bottle or pacifier frequently. Your toddler may still use a bottle when they go down for a nap or to sleep at night, so it is important to be selective about the liquids you put into it. Stick to milk or formula for overnight bottles. Avoid putting sugar water or juice into overnight bottles, as the concentrated sugar sits on your toddler's teeth for hours and contributes to tooth decay.  If you are going to give your toddler sugary beverages, make sure that you moderate your intake and only let them have them during the day. After they have such beverages, make sure that you take time to rinse their mouth out with water or to have a quick tooth brushing session to reduce the effects of sugar on their teeth.

Enrich your toddler's diet with mouth healthy foods.

Your child's diet contributes to their health and development. You can also structure your toddler's diet to benefit their oral health. Make sure that your child is getting plenty of dairy in the form of yogurt, cheese, and milk. These dairy foods are rich in calcium, which helps to combat tooth loss. Foods that are rich in vitamin C help to decrease your toddler's likelihood of suffering from gum disease.  If you have questions about the quality of your child's diet, then talk to their pediatrician and family dentist to get tips about where you can make changes.

Model healthy oral habits for your toddler.

Your toddler looks to you in order to develop healthy habits. Stay involved in their oral care by making tooth brushing a priority and part of your morning and evening routine with your toddler. You need to look after your child until they begin grade school to make sure that they do not swallow the toothpaste.  You also want to make sure that they brush their teeth completely. The direction of the brushing is not as important as making sure that your toddler is cleaning every surface of their teeth.

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