How to Brush Your Child’s Teeth
Baby teeth play a critical role as the precursor to permanent teeth. Establishing good oral health habits when your kids are young is something that will stick with them through life. By learning how to brush your child’s teeth thoroughly and properly, you can help them avoid dental problems and emergency dentistry, especially at a young age, and set the stage for healthy permanent teeth.
Good Oral Health Care for Kids Starts with the Basics
Kids learn from the grown-ups around them. Some need to be shown how to do something, others prefer being told and practicing themselves. Either way, it’s essential to make kids aware of why oral hygiene – both brushing and flossing – is so important:
- Keeps teeth clean, strong, and healthy.
- Prevents stains and yellow teeth.
- Reduces cavities from developing.
- Creates fresh breath.
- Eliminates the need for extra dental visits.
- Helps teeth fall out when they’re ready.
- Contributes to good body health.
Best Practices for How to Brush Your Child’s Teeth
Parents are responsible for taking care of their kids’ teeth as soon as those first little baby teeth erupt. Eventually, your child will take the reigns and tend to their own oral health. Set a good example from the start with these best practices:
- Establish a routine, like PJs, brush, book, bed.
- Brush teeth every morning and every night.
- Floss every night.
- Encourage hydration with water during the day.
- Brush in small, gentle circles on each tooth.
- Brush the tongue.
- Try to brush for at least two minutes.
Make Brushing Your Child’s Teeth a Fun Activity
Everything works better for kids when the activity is fun. The same applies to oral health. If your child is an independent soul, they may want to do their own teeth brushing every time. You might find yourself making a few compromises and adjustments to ensure that their tooth enamel and gums are well cared for even if their technique is not yet refined. Here are some ways to get the job done without taking away the sparkle:
- Work together. Brush side by side and have your child mimic your motions, then brush each other’s teeth for good measure. This lets your child practice their skills and ensures that you have an opportunity to get into the nooks and crannies they may have missed.
- Add technology. Download an interactive brushing app that shows your child where to brush, for how long, and that rewards them for a job well done. Some programs connect to electric toothbrushes to keep everyone accountable and mark time without it feeling like a dull task.
- Pick fun tools. Practice with different types of dental floss, flossers, or a water pik to determine what works best for your child. Toothbrushes come in all sizes and adorned with favorite characters. Toothpaste is available in a host of flavors and colors. It’s worth the up-front investment to test out a variety of tools so your child will look forward to using them every day.
The Essential Counterpart to Brushing Your Child’s Teeth
At-home oral health care must be accompanied by regular visits to your pediatric dentist. Even if you and your child are champion brushers and flossers, you will miss areas of plaque and bacteria that build up and can lead to tooth decay. Seeing the dentist every six months ensures thorough cleanings and allows for the placement of sealants when the time is right to protect newly erupted permanent teeth.
For instructions on how to brush your child’s teeth, contact Kid Grins in Edina, MN, to schedule an appointment with our pediatric dental team. We love to teach our patients about oral health and support parents who tend to those beautiful little teeth.
