Teeth Brushing Techniques for Children’s Introduction
National Children’s Dental Health Month is observed every February. Nearly all parents are aware of how crucial frequent tooth brushing is for maintaining the oral health of their children, but not all parents are aware of the most effective techniques or instruments to utilize. We advise you to at least show correct brushing with a manual toothbrush before switching to an electric one, even if some parents prefer electric brushes over conventional ones (and there are numerous benefits to electronic brushes). We strongly advise using soft bristles in your children’s brushes, whether manual or electric.
As early as one year old, parents can start brushing their baby’s teeth with merely water and a soft children’s toothbrush; if the baby is able, some dentists advise routine tooth brushing even earlier (as soon as the teeth appear). When your child is 18 months old, you may then offer children’s low-fluoride toothpaste. To remove and prevent plaque accumulation that causes tooth decay and gum disease, we highly advise that you assist your child in brushing their teeth at least twice a day—once in the morning and once before bed.
Using the Right Brushing Method
You may constantly effectively clean your child’s teeth by following these guidelines:
Take a soft-bristled children’s toothbrush and dab a pea-sized amount of low-flouride toothpaste onto it. Using too much paste is not a good idea in this situation, so be careful not to overdo it.
If your child is little, place her on your lap with her back to you. You can stand behind your kid if he’s tall enough. The child’s head should be gently tipped back towards your body so you can view all of the tooth surfaces.
Brush bristles should be angled at a 45-degree angle towards the gums. To thoroughly clean the gums and outer surfaces of the teeth, gently make tight circles with the toothbrush.
Gently brush the gums and inner surfaces of the teeth by continuing to move the toothbrush in a circular motion.
Use a moderate forward and backward motion while brushing the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
Encourage your youngster to completely spit out the toothpaste once you have finished cleaning all of the dental surfaces. The tiny quantity of toothpaste remained in the mouth will continue to prevent tooth decay; therefore, there is no need for your youngster to rinse his mouth after this.
We advise spending at least two minutes every session brushing. The majority of that time should be spent treating the surfaces of the rear molars because cavities most typically develop there. Their development of lifelong good oral habits will be greatly aided by your role modelling of these behaviors. Kids will have everything they need to keep a healthy smile for the rest of their lives, including a proper diet, daily flossing, and frequent trips to the dentist.
Unsettling Statistics About Children’s Dental Health
The benefits of helping your kids brush properly are enormous. Here are a few facts and observations that demonstrate the necessity of appropriate brushing and general excellent oral hygiene practices in kids (found, among other places, on the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention):
Nearly 20% of children over the age of two have untreated cavities.
Around 20% of four and five-year-olds have dental decay, and by the age of 17, over 85% of young individuals have tooth decay in some form.
Asthma is five times more likely to strike children than tooth decay.
Every year, dental-related issues cause children to miss more than 51 million school hours throughout the globe.
Children with poor oral hygiene may feel less confident and perform worse in school, which will reduce their likelihood of smiling or conversing.
Children who have poor oral hygiene may often have poor nutrition and ongoing sleep issues.