Toothbrushing and Flossing For Children

It is never too early to start good dental hygiene habits. The earlier you begin regular toothbrushing and flossing the easier it will be to have it become part of the daily routine. While you can’t start brushing until teeth have erupted, you can begin oral cleaning before teeth emerge by wiping your babies gums with a clean damp cloth after feeding.

Once your child’s teeth have emerged it is time to start brushing. You can start by cleaning your child's teeth with a damp cloth, later changing to a toothbrush. Brush your child's teeth yourself at first, move into letting them brush, with your supervision. Then, as they demonstrate the ability to do a good job themselves, they can be independent. This will usually occur around age 9.

Choose a toothpaste with a flavor that they enjoy, and be sure the toothpaste is fluoridated. But watch the amount of toothpaste that they use.Fluoride brushed onto the teeth will strengthen the teeth. But, in spite of your instructions to spit out the toothpaste, many children will swallow some of it. If they swallow too much, in can cause unsightly white spots to develop in the developing permanent teeth.

Introduce Them to Flossing

As the baby molars come in, around age two, your child will become vulnerable to decay between the teeth. Brushing can't clean those areas, but flossing will. Start by flossing for them, and when they have the dexterity to manipulate the floss themselves, you can let them take over this task. And if you floss yourself, you can present this to them as something "big people do," which will help them develop this healthy habit.

To learn more about your child's first dental appointment click here
To learn more about preparing your child for their dental visit click here