When should kids start brushing? When should they start flossing? How many times a day should they brush their teeth? Is the water in my town fluoridated? It’s important to get kids on an oral care schedule right from the start. Their teeth are subject to decay when they first erupt, usually around 6 months old. The following are some tips to help you get your kids on an oral care schedule right from the start.
Use Fluoride Toothpaste from the Beginning
Most parents start out buying the “safe if swallowed” fluoride-free training toothpaste for kids. The ADA (American Dental Association) recently changed its long-standing guideline. They now recommend that parents use a fluoride toothpaste as soon as their baby gets their first tooth. Use a tiny amount the size of a grain of rice at first, then go to an amount the size of a pea beginning at age 3. Why should you do this? Tooth decay in young children has become an epidemic. Dentists have seen children as young as 2 years old need oral surgery treatment for extensive cavity repair. One in four preschool age children already has a cavity. That number rises to 55% by the time they start kindergarten.
If you are among the 25% of the American population that does not have fluoridated water where you live, or if you use well water, your child’s dentist may prescribe a daily supplement. Some people are concerned about toxins and oppose fluoridated water. However, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), and the ADA fully support the practice of fluoridated water.
Have the Kids See a Dentist Early and Regularly
Kids need a checkup and cleaning twice per year just like adults do. It is recommended that you should take your child to see the dentist by their first birthday. The dentist will do a thorough exam, obtain a dental history, show parents proper brushing habits and prevention of cavities, and guide them on how often a child should visit the dentist. If the cost is a concern for you, pediatric dental care is now required to be covered by most health insurance plans. In addition, a study found that kids who see a dentist by their first birthday have dental costs that are about 40% lower than kids who don’t see the dentist.
Clean Immediately with the Right Tools
Even before their first teeth erupt, you can “brush” by using infant tooth and gum wipes every day. This may sound strange, but studies show that even before a baby gets their first tooth they have cavity-causing bacteria in the folds of their tongue. You can delay these bacteria from getting into your baby’s mouth by avoiding sharing saliva. Don’t share spoons or cups and don’t clean the baby’s pacifier with your own mouth. Once your baby has one tooth, graduate to brushing with a soft children’s toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Do this after breakfast and after dinner. Up until age six when the 6-year molars come in, make sure you do it for them or brush after them. It’s hard for kids to get all the way to the back.
Practice Good Technique
Brushing back and forth can damage gums and teeth. Tilt the brush toward the gums and gently brush in small circles, making sure to touch each surface of each tooth. It is generally recommended that kids brush for two minutes (30 seconds in each quadrant of the mouth). Most kids don’t have enough teeth to brush for two minutes until they are older, so just make sure you get all the tooth surfaces they do have. It should only take a minute or so. The important thing is that your technique gets as much plaque of as possible.
Daily Flossing
You have to start as soon as the teeth are touching each other. It doesn’t matter how well you brush your child’s teeth, if they are touching you are not going to be able to get all the plaque and food out with brushing alone. This is where technique is also very important. You must pull the floss firmly against the sides of all the teeth that are touching. This will get the food and plaque out from between the teeth that brushing can’t reach.
It is important that your children get an early start and get started on an oral care routine as soon as possible. At Simply Smiles Dentistry, we can show you a proper oral health routine for your child.
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Until next time…Keep on Smiling!