Parents: What You Can Do
The right choices for you or your child vary, depending on the cause of stress, age, and other factors. According to BMC Oral Health, those experiencing stress should give special attention to oral healthcare. Additionally, those with related concerns (such as financial worries) can benefit from addressing these issues.
While determining the source (or sources) of your child’s stress can be challenging, there are many options available. Parents have powerful choices at their disposal to set children up for success by preventing stressful situations or teaching them to how to manage their stress in a healthy manner.
Methods to help your child with their stress or avoid associated oral problems may include:
- Avoiding or limiting situations that trigger or cause stress.
- Role-modeling healthy behaviors by practicing proper dental care, exercising, eating a balanced diet, and managing their own stress properly.
- Helping them get enough sleep by setting an appropriate bedtime and keeping a routine around sleep schedules.
- Ensuring they practice good oral hygiene by brushing their teeth for two minutes twice a day and cleaning between their teeth daily.
- Talking to them about their stress and developing coping skills to reduce it, such as listening to music, drawing, or taking deep breaths.
- Scheduling an appointment with their school counselor or medical professional for advice on stress management and referral to specialists.
You have many options available to help your child reduce, manage or even sometimes prevent their stress! Set the stage for success by helping them develop healthy stress-coping methods by role modeling them yourself. You’ve made a great first step by reading up on how stress is related to oral health problems.