How do parents teach children to brush their teeth?
By: Dr. Debbie Armellini 115k Views . 15 Jun 2020
How do parents teach children to brush their teeth?
Around the age of 3, parents can start teaching our children to brush their teeth well, with some paste. Before, its use is not recommended for fear of being swallowed. Establishing oral hygiene habits will help our children maintain really healthy teeth.
The first teeth, known as baby teeth, will give way to the final teeth. From the second to the third year, the child's teeth are completed with the sprouting of all the teeth, 20 pieces in total.
Taking care of your teeth is very important because it helps to fix the final ones. For example, if your baby suffers cavities or her teeth break (blows, falls, ...) it will make it difficult for the final teeth to correctly replace the milk teeth.
Dental hygiene should be started from the moment the first teeth appear. Parents can use a cloth handkerchief or a damp cloth to clean the baby's teeth up to 15-18 months. Around the age of 3, the child can start brushing his teeth using only some toothpaste, always under the supervision of an adult to avoid swallowing.
From this age, it is advisable to start to establish some oral hygiene habits so that the child learns only to brush her teeth. Over time, the child will wash them automatically and incorporate this habit into their daily routine.
It does not matter that at first the child brushes her teeth only with water. The brushing act is more important than the paste itself. Parents and children can brush their teeth together in the bathroom. In this way, the child will want to imitate the elderly and little by little, he will get used to doing it alone.
How to teach children to brush their teeth well?
Parents should buy the child a soft toothbrush with a soft bristle and a small head. The electric toothbrush can also be another option. In addition, it is widely accepted by young children.
To instill good habits in them, you should start teaching them how to brush their teeth. Some tips to do it are:
- Brush your teeth from top to bottom and from back to front.
- Short and fast movements are preferable.
- Circle brushing is also suitable.
- The brushing direction is not so important.
- The really significant thing is to clean each tooth well: the inner and outer face and from top to bottom.
Some tips to keep teeth healthy
Some tips to keep teeth healthy at 3 years are:
- Brush your teeth three times a day. Especially at night, which is when the bacteria act with more persistence.
- If the child still uses a pacifier, do not sweeten it with sugar or honey. These foods contain sucrose, which is the sugar that produces the most cavities. This action could trigger tooth decay in the bottle.
- Do not let the child sleep with the bottle in his mouth.
- Avoid commercial juices, caramels, sweets and pastries. They contain high doses of sugar so they are very cariogenic. Also those foods that adhere easily to the mouth, such as cookies or bananas, etc.
- Use special toothpaste for children. There is a risk that it contains too much fluorine. Excess fluorine can cause staining of teeth and risk of fluorosis.
- In the case of caries, it must be treated immediately.´
When to visit the dentist?
It is not necessary to visit the dentist before the age of three. Only if the child has a problem that needs to be treated, such as cavities.
What do you think?
As has been your experience with brushing your little one's teeth, leave us your opinion in the comment box.
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