Maintaining a child’s oral and overall health requires more than daily toothbrushing and flossing. Seeing a dentist regularly for preventive care is an important part of a child’s complete wellness.

As summer comes to an end, parents should be planning dental visits for their children ahead of the new school year.

Is the stress of the new school year causing your kid to grind their teeth? If it is, your child isn’t alone. An estimated 15 to 33 percent of children will grind their teeth at some point, compared to roughly 8 percent of adults. The majority of teeth grinding (also called bruxism) will happen after kids have dozed off to dreamland, which can make it tough for them to know it’s happening. Luckily, parents can help by learning how to spot grinding and how to help their kid overcome it.

Morning time can be the most hectic part of the day for families. Before rushing off to school, many kids sit around the table (or stand up at the counter) to fuel up with the most important meal of the day. But one of the most common breakfast options – cereal – can have some unintended consequences for teeth.

Each year, 100 million Americans forego a dental visit, and that’s a big problem when it comes to maintaining a healthy smile. Before your calendar fills up with school activities, athletic events and more, schedule routine dental appointments for your kids and yourself! No matter how good your oral hygiene habits are, a dental visit provides benefits that regular brushing and flossing simply can’t.

More parents report that getting their kids to floss or brush their teeth is more challenging than getting their kids to make the bed or to complete their homework on time. This, according to a recent national survey conducted by Delta Dental. The Children’s Oral Health Survey indicates that many children are not following recommended guidelines of brushing their teeth for two minutes twice daily and flossing once a day, potentially leading to oral health problems. 78 percent of the parents surveyed confess that their child’s oral health is not as good as it could be, with 64 percent disclosing that their child currently has oral health issues, including cavities (31 percent).