Maintaining good children’s oral hygiene can be challenging for many parents. With that in mind, here are some tips that will help you with this task. Check them out!
Good children’s oral hygiene is essential and should be encouraged from an early age. As soon as the child’s teeth begin to erupt, there is a risk of decay. In some cases, it can even become serious and lead to tooth loss. But the good news is that cavities are completely preventable. In this article, you will find tips on how to care for your child’s teeth. Check them out!
How Does a Child’s Teething Occur?
The time when teeth begin to erupt varies from child to child. Usually, the first baby teeth come in between 6 and 9 months of age, and by age 3, your child should have 20 teeth in his mouth.
If the first tooth hasn’t erupted by 9 months, you should take him to the dentist. Another point of attention is that healthy baby teeth are white with no stains or discoloration, and healthy gums are pink.
Ideally, take your child to the dentist 6 months after the first tooth and no later than the first birthday.
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Tips for good children’s oral hygiene
For good children’s oral hygiene, in the case of babies, you should carefully clean the gums with a soft towel or gauze. As soon as the first tooth erupts, clean the surface with a baby toothbrush and water.
For children aged 12 to 24 months, use a child-friendly toothbrush and a grain of rice-sized amount of toothpaste (without fluoride).
Start with dental floss
Flossing should not begin until your child has at least two teeth in contact, which is typically around two to two and a half years of age.
- Cut about 45 cm of dental floss.
- Wrap the ends of the floss around your middle fingers.
- Hold the floss firmly with your thumb and index finger and carefully insert it between your child’s teeth.
- Bend the floss into a C shape and gently move it up and down so that it fits perfectly between your teeth.
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Remember to floss all teeth, not forgetting behind the lower teeth.
How to brush your children’s teeth correctly
- To brush the front, the child must keep the teeth together, supporting the bite. Make circular movements, encompassing about 4 teeth at a time (two on top and two on the bottom) for about 10 seconds.
- On the back, make brush movements from the bottom up to the lower teeth, as if it were a broom. Make the movement from top to bottom on the upper teeth.
- On the inside, keep the brush upright, moving up and down on the upper teeth and up and down on the lower teeth.
- For the upper part of the teeth, move the brush back-and-forth.
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Remember that haste is the enemy of perfection. Brushing should last at least 2 minutes and be done very carefully.
Not least, but everyone forgets: brush the tongue! Just rest the bristles on it and pull it out.
Then, your child should rinse their mouth with water to remove the toothpaste and leftover food.
Knowing how to perform good children’s oral hygiene, and preventing problems in your little one’s teeth is very important. Thus, you guarantee healthy teeth and more quality of life for him.
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Also, read our article on food selectivity.
