Best Dental Practices to Follow for Kids

Here’s how to care for your children’s teeth, from brushing their first tooth to their first trip to the dentist.
A consistent teeth-cleaning routine is critical for good dental health. If you follow these guidelines, you will be able to keep your children’s teeth free of decay. Read on to know the tips that you need to follow with your child.

Brushing Techniques

It is critical to use fluoride toothpaste to help prevent and control tooth decay.

Children up to the age of three

• Begin brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as the first milk tooth appears (usually at around 6 months, but it can be earlier or later).
• Brushing or supervising toothbrushing should be done by parents or caregivers.
• Brush your teeth for about 2 minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Brush your teeth last thing at night before going to bed, and on one other occasion.
• Use fluoride toothpaste for children that contains no less than 1,000ppm fluoride (check the label) or fluoride toothpaste for adults that contains between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.
• Only a smear of toothpaste is required.
• Make sure that children do not eat or lick the toothpaste from the tube.

Children aged three to six years

• Brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day for about 2 minutes.
• Brush your teeth last thing at night before bed and at least once more.
• Brushing should be done under the supervision of a parent or caregiver.
• Use fluoride toothpaste for children that contains no less than 1,000ppm fluoride (check the label) or fluoride toothpaste for adults that contains between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm fluoride.
• Only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste should be used.
• Spit out after brushing, and don’t rinse – rinsing dilutes the fluoride.

Children aged seven and up

• Brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day for about 2 minutes.
• Brush your teeth last thing at night before bed and at least once more.
• Use fluoride toothpaste with a fluoride content of between 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm (check label).
• Spit out after brushing, and don’t rinse – rinsing dilutes the fluoride.
• Children aged 7 and up should brush their teeth, but it’s still a good idea to supervise them to ensure they brush correctly and for approximately 2 minutes.

How to Teach Children to Brush Their Teeth Properly

• Guide your child’s hand so that they can feel the correct movement.
• Use a mirror to help your child see where the brush is cleaning their teeth.
• Make tooth brushing as enjoyable as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about 2 minutes.
• Allowing children to run around with a toothbrush in their mouth may result in an accident where they injure themselves.

Visiting the pediatric dentist with your child

• When your child’s first milk teeth appear, take them to the pediatric dentist. This is done so that they become acquainted with the surroundings and the pediatric dentist. The pediatric dentist can advise you on preventing tooth decay and identifying any oral health issues early on. Simply opening the child’s mouth for the pediatric dentist to examine is good practice for the future.
• Keep a positive attitude and make the trip to the pediatric dentist enjoyable. This will relieve your child’s anxiety about future visits.
• Take your child to the pediatric dentist for regular dental checkupscheckups as directed.

Finally, good dental care can help a kid’s teeth, and gums stay healthy from infancy to adulthood. Brushing and flossing daily, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular pediatric dental checkupscheckups can all help kids avoid cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems. It could also be beneficial to their overall health.