What is the Importance of Brushing My Child's Teeth?
By brushing teeth daily you will:
- It is important for you and your child to know the proper toothbrushing techniques to maintain a healthy mouth in between dental visits.
By brushing teeth daily you will:
- remove plaque and biofilm accumulation
- freshen breath
- remove bacteria and germs
- provides supplements to teeth from the toothpaste
How to Brush Your Child's Teeth: Modified Stillman’s Method
- First, start off with your toothbrush directed towards the gum line. Then, have the filaments of the toothbrush gently pressed against your gums and this will cause the tissue to blanch.
- Next, rotate your wrist so that that the filaments are directed to an angle of 45 degrees to the tooth.
- After that, start using a gentle circular and vibratory motion and maintain light pressure against the tooth surface and gums. Do this for about 10 seconds.
- Then, turn your wrist and work the brush further down the tooth so that the brush comes in contact with the front of the tooth. This will allow the filaments to reach in between the teeth.
- Do this to every area of the mouth and then brush the biting surfaces of the teeth.
- The ideal length of time it takes to brush your teeth is 2 minutes.
How Do I Care For My Child's Teeth?
- It is important to clean your baby's mouth during the first few months after birth by wiping the gums with a clean, moist gauze pad or washcloth. Tooth decay can occur at any age.
- When your baby's teeth start to come in, brush them gently with a child-size toothbrush and water.
- For children older than 2 years old, brush their teeth with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Be sure they spit out the toothpaste.
- Ask your child's dentist or physician if you are considering using fluoride toothpaste before age 2.
- Until you’re comfortable that your child can brush on his or her own, continue to brush your child's teeth twice a day. When your child has two teeth that touch, you should begin flossing their teeth daily.
Why is Flossing in Conjunction with Toothbrushing Beneficial to my Child?
- Flossing is an essential part of the daily home care process because it removes plaque from in between teeth and at the gumline.
- Children should start flossing as soon as a tooth comes in contact with another tooth.
- Flossing should be performed at least once a day to remove plaque and food debris from the areas of the mouth where the toothbrush cannot reach.
- Plaque is what causes tooth decay, inflamed gums or gingivitis, periodontal disease and, eventually, tooth loss.
- Flossing is the only effective way to remove plaque between teeth.
What is the Proper Technique to Floss?
1. Use about 18 inches of floss wound around one of your middle fingers, with the rest wound around the opposite middle finger and keep a 1-2 inch length of floss between them.
2. Hold the floss tightly between the thumbs and index fingers and gently insert it between the teeth.
3. Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a back and forth motion and wrap floss around the side of the tooth making a “C” shape.
4. Slide floss up and down against the tooth surface and under the gumline. Floss each tooth thoroughly with a clean section of floss.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 on every tooth.
(American Dental Association, n.d.a)
1. Use about 18 inches of floss wound around one of your middle fingers, with the rest wound around the opposite middle finger and keep a 1-2 inch length of floss between them.
2. Hold the floss tightly between the thumbs and index fingers and gently insert it between the teeth.
3. Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a back and forth motion and wrap floss around the side of the tooth making a “C” shape.
4. Slide floss up and down against the tooth surface and under the gumline. Floss each tooth thoroughly with a clean section of floss.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 on every tooth.
(American Dental Association, n.d.a)