Being a parent can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be very difficult. Everyone raises their children different, which is fine, but there are certainly a few mistakes that you should not implement into your parenting routine. For instance, don’t teach your kids to hit because they will hit. Don’t break the law in front of them because they will break the law, too. And don’t be a horrible person because, spoiler alert, they will follow suit and be a horrible person.

In addition to these simple yet major parenting no-nos, you should also avoid mistakes involving your children’s dental care. Even when your kids are young and their adult teeth have still yet to grow in, you have to make sure you’re teaching them about proper dental hygiene and tooth care. If they learn to ignore and neglect their teeth early on in life, there is no doubt that they will do the same later on.

Here are a few parenting mistakes that you should avoid because they can ruin your kids’ teeth.

Not seeing pediatric dentists
If you aren’t regularly visiting a pediatric dentist for children, you’re running the risk of ruining your child’s dental hygiene for the rest of their life. Their teeth might not be too damaged early on, so you could be in the clear for a few months or so, but if your kids don’t learn the importance of visiting a dentist on a consistent basis, they will ignore their teeth later in life.

Letting your kids eat whatever they want
It’s so easy to just open up your fridge and snack drawers and step out of the way as your child rummages through the entire thing. But doing this will almost certainly ruin your kids eating habits and their dental health. Whether it’s for brief checkups or dental sedation, of which 250,000 are performed each year, take your kids to the dentist to get the help they need. Don’t keep damaging foods inside the home but really make sure you control the foods that your kids are eating so they don’t ruin their teeth.

Buying harmful drinks
Like unhealthy foods, sugary drinks can be extremely damaging to a child’s teeth. Avoid sugary drinks like energy and sports drinks at all costs. Give your kids some healthy alternatives like juice.

Teach your kids about the importance of proper dental care early on and they will thank you for it later in life. If you are in need of dental assistance for your children, contact Smilez Pediatric Dental Group today.