Tips for Brushing
Pediatric Dentist Anchorage, AK
 Establishing good oral hygiene habits early in life lays the foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Brushing your child's teeth may seem simple, but it plays a vital role in preventing cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues. From choosing the right toothbrush to making brushing a fun and consistent routine, parents and caregivers have many opportunities to support their child's dental health.
How do you teach your children to care for their teeth and gums properly? Aurora Children’s Dentistry has some suggestions and tips for brushing, so you can help your child learn good oral hygiene from the beginning.
The Toothbrush
You will need to choose a toothbrush for your child that has soft bristles. Be sure that the toothbrush is designed for taking care of a baby or young child's teeth. If your toddler is resistant to tooth brushing, offer to let them pick out their toothbrush. There are many great toothbrushes for toddlers, so whether your toddler wants to brush with a princess or a monster, you can easily find a toothbrush that suits them. Some toddler parents buy more than one toothbrush at a time. That way, if your child changes his or her mind, you have a different toothbrush to offer them.
Once the toothbrush is picked out, help them with holding the brush. If the child needs help with their grip, you may want to use something to make it easier to grip. Some parents try putting the toothbrush handle in a tennis ball for an easier grip. Others use a hairband to help the child hold the toothbrush. You can also look for a kid-friendly toothbrush with a thick handle for easy gripping.
The Toothpaste
A toddler may not want to brush their teeth if they don't like the toothpaste. Luckily, there are several different kinds of toothpaste available for children. There are bubblegum and fruit flavors, as well as basic mint. Whatever flavor your child likes will make it that much easier to encourage him or her to brush. Be sure that the flavor they like has fluoride in it. Fluoride helps give them strong, healthy teeth.
Practice Brushing
Give your child lots of opportunities to practice brushing their teeth. You will first want to let them watch you brush your teeth. Children love to mimic what we do. Tell them what you are doing - brushing each tooth in a circular motion throughout your mouth. You can then let them try brushing their teeth. Use your hand to guide their brushing. Break each brushing step down into easy to understand directions. Praise them when they brush their teeth. Children love to feel independent, and they love to feel that they are doing a good job.
Brushing Tips for Babies
Infant teeth brushing may be challenging, but it is important that you do so in order to keep your child's mouth healthy. It's best if you start brushing their teeth as soon as their first tooth erupts. This typically occurs at around six months of age.
You'll want to make sure the toothbrush has soft bristles since younger children have soft, sensitive gums which can become easily irritated by an intense scrubbing brush or too much pressure being exerted on them. Get your baby used to oral care as early as possible so that the concept doesn't feel strange to them when they get older.
Brushing Tips for Toddlers
While the best way of cleaning your baby's teeth is with them on your knee with their head resting on your chest, for a toddler, standing or kneeling behind them works best. You can gently tilt their head backward and brush the teeth with small circular motions, covering all the surfaces of the teeth.
To encourage your child to begin brushing their teeth, get them a small toothbrush so they can mimic the actions of cleaning their teeth, even if they aren't actually doing it. While they are learning to perfect their proper brushing technique, you will still be brushing their teeth and ensuring their dental hygiene routine is effective.
Brushing Tips for 3 to 6 Year Olds
At this age, your child should begin to clean their own teeth. Create a routine that they will follow twice daily and remind them of the importance of brushing every day by repeating the message.
Encourage them when possible, allow younger ones some independence if there are no safety issues involved such as choking or swallowing toothpaste. Allow older kids to choose their own toothbrush and even toothpaste. This can make the task more fun for them.
Brushing Tips for 7 Year Olds and Older
It's no secret that children can have a hard time brushing their teeth. They may still be developing the coordination skills needed for effective brushing.
This is when electric toothbrushes could be the answer. Electric toothbrushes can be easier for children to use. The only thing they have to do is guide the brush head along each row of teeth, front and back, rather than have to coordinate their hands to make circular motions as well as moving the brush along. Electric toothbrushes have the additional bonus of a timer. Typically split into 4 segments of 30 seconds, it takes the guesswork out of how long to brush each area. Thus, your child will get their 2 minutes of brushing every time. Be sure to teach them that only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is required.
Contact Us for More Brushing Tips
At Aurora Children’s Dentistry our goal is to help your child develop healthy habits to care for their teeth while they are young. These habits will set the stage for good oral health, avoiding many of the problems that result from poor dental hygiene, such as gum disease and tooth decay. Starting this lifelong path begins early with one simple step: brushing.
To discover more tips about helping your infants and children brush their teeth, when to brush, and best brushing techniques, give us a call at (907) 621-4521. We will be happy to schedule an appointment for your child, where we can examine their teeth and partner together with you in their oral care. |
