How to teach your child to brush their teeth

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Published in February 2020
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How to teach your child to brush their teeth

in Articles Hub
Published in February 2020
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Good mouth hygiene needs to start at an early age. From the moment that very first pearly white tooth erupts, you can start practising brushing and getting your child used to cleaning their teeth.

Teeth should be brushed twice a day, and dental floss used every day, preferably after dinner to ensure that teeth are optimally clean before bed. There are also mouthwash products suitable for all ages, to ensure a sparkling smile. Look for toothbrushes and toothpaste that have the ADA Seal or, Australian Dental Association Seal, which is the gold standard for evaluating the best and safest dental products for your family.

Brushing Teeth for Babies

For babies under 1, a very soft bristle brush is all that is needed. Gently brush across any teeth, front, back and sides. Try to avoid the gums as they may be tender due to teething. There is no need to use toothpaste at this age, but if you find the brush too difficult to use, a soft, damp face washer can also be used to gently clean the teeth.

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Brushing Teeth for Children Between Ages 1 and 5

Between the ages of 1 and 5, you should model good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth together. Let them try to brush themselves, toddlers love to try to do things, but it’s important to follow up and make sure their teeth are properly brushed afterwards. Use no more than a pea-sized amount of child-friendly toothpaste to the brush and concentrate on brushing gently in small circles across the front, back and chewing surface of each tooth. It should take at least two minutes to brush the teeth fully, you can set a timer to make it fun, or even sing a song for them – a laughing mouth is an open mouth!

If your child is resistant, there are lots of tricks to try to make it fun for them. There are storybooks about teeth, short cartoons that can show how important brushing is, sticker or other reward charts. Something as simple as an electric toothbrush or one that lights up can make it less of a chore and more of a fun game.

After your child has teeth that touch, it’s time to introduce flossing at least once a day. Food can get stuck between teeth, promoting gum disease, plaque and tooth decay. To help your child floss, wrap the floss around each of your index fingers and then gently insert it between two teeth. Slide it up and down gently, curving it towards each of the teeth in turn to make sure anything caught is dislodged. Re-wrap it again each time you floss to ensure that a new section is used.

Brushing Teeth for Children over 5

Once your child is six and over, they should be capable of brushing their teeth themselves, but you may need to check afterwards. An easy way to do this is plaque disclosing tablets or solutions, which they swish around their mouths and it will show up any plaque that was missed in the initial brushing. Letting them see for themselves the areas they need to concentrate on is a powerful tool to make sure they are brushing correctly and keeping their teeth and gums in optimal health.

This is also around the time when fluoride toothpaste is introduced to prevent longer-term decay in adult teeth. Use the age guidelines for your child, and if in doubt review the products that have been given the ADA Seal (Australian Dental Association).

Flossing is still important at every age, and you may need to assist your child in flossing correctly long after they have taken over teeth brushing duty. An age-suitable mouthwash can also be introduced as the final step in the evening after flossing to ensure the best dental health.

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Regular Dentist Visits

Along with regular teeth brushing, regular dental visits are a must. They should start at around age two unless you have a concern about how your child’s teeth are growing and continue every six months after that. The first few years of visits are more around familiarity with the dentist for your child and will involve tooth counting and a quick check and little else. Most dentists will try to make the trip fun and may even let them operate the chair up and down! Once your child is in primary school, their regular dental visits will consist of teeth cleaning and X-rays to make sure their teeth are growing properly. If there are any concerns about how the teeth are growing, braces may be discussed at around age 10 to ensure that your child has a bright, even smile.

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