Proper Oral Hygiene for Kids

Proper Oral Hygiene for Kids
Posted on 12/15/2017

oralHygeine15dec2017Beautiful, bright smiles are great, but seeing a dentist is not the sole way to ensure you attain them. As a pediatric dentistry in Sugar Land and Wharton, TX we often have parents come into our office wanting to know more about how to properly take care of their children’s oral hygiene. Teaching your child the right brushing and flossing techniques early in life instills those practices on to adulthood. If you’re not sure how you should be cleaning and showing your children how to clean their teeth, our pediatric dentists in Sugar Land, TX have some tips for you.

When Should I Start Cleaning My Child’s Teeth?

Cleaning your children’s teeth should actually begin before they have any teeth to clean. Before baby teeth come in you can clean your children’s gums. After every meal, rub their gums with a warm, wet washcloth or gauze wrapped around your finger. This will keep their gums from being harmed by bacteria. Once your baby's first tooth comes in, you can begin brushing. Use a small soft bristled toothbrush without toothpaste once a day to clean teeth.

Once your children are older than 2, you may begin using a small, pea sized amount of toothpaste. Begin showing your children how to brush their own teeth when you think they’re ready. Only have them use a small amount of toothpaste, make sure they don’t swallow any, and supervise their brushing until about age 7. Here are some other helpful tips:

  • Don’t rinse after brushing, just spit
  • Brush twice a day, once in the morning and once at night
  • Regular flossing should begin around age 10

Make Brushing Fun

A great way to get your children to enjoy brushing is to use fun motivators. To make sure they brush for a full 2 - 3 minutes, you can play their favorite song while they are brushing so they know when to finish. You can also make a game out of how well they brushed by using plaque disclosing tablets. After your child is finished brushing, he or she can chew a plaque discoloring tablet to see if any spots were missed. When he or she does a good job you can provide a reward of some kind, whatever you see fit. Making brushing into a game encourages children to do it regularly and prevents them from thinking of it as a boring chore. By teaching your children good habits now, you’ll set them on the right track to a happy, healthy smile for a lifetime.

Your Children & Your Sugar Land Pediatric Dentist

Another part of teaching your children good oral hygiene habits is showing them that the dentist is a fun place to be. Taking them early and often to a pediatric dentist like Dr. Larry Caldwell, DDS & Associates is how you do that. We make going to the dentist a fun and welcoming experience. Contact us today and make your child’s next appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon!