Answering Kids Questions About The Dentist

One of the easiest ways to get your kids to take proper care of their teeth is to keep them interested in their teeth. You can do this by answering their questions completely and by continuing an open dialogue about dental hygiene and tooth conditions. You can learn about some of the questions kids tend to have about teeth and the answers to them here:

Why are some kid's teeth so yellow?

When your child starts going to school they may start to notice that some kids have very yellow teeth. This can lead them to ask you why some of the kid's teeth are yellow and if it's because their parents don't make sure they brush them. You should explain to your child that brushing and properly caring for your teeth is the best way to keep them as white as possible.

However, you also want to be sure to tell them that many people have thinner enamel on their teeth that allows the yellow color from the inner part of their teeth to show through. This way, they understand yellow teeth doesn't always mean another child isn't caring for their teeth.

Why do some people need braces?

Your child may have questions about why some people need braces and other people have straight teeth. You can explain to them that sometimes genetics play a role in the way a person's teeth grow in. You can also explain that sometimes one of a child's teeth may not come in, and this can cause gaps and crookedness that requires braces. Sometimes the teeth can come in too close together and the crowding causes the teeth to become crooked.

Why do some people get cavities when they take such good care of their teeth?

Your child may end up with their own cavities or know someone else who has cavities. If they take good care of their teeth, or know the other person does, this can leave them asking you why they got cavities. You'll want to explain to them that sometimes other factors come into play like thinner enamel, an injury that leaves them more susceptible to a cavity, or they eat so much food that's bad for their teeth that it overrides the care they give their teeth.


The more interest you can spark in your child about teeth and the more in detail you get with them, the more likely that they will learn a new respect for tooth care in general.