Teach your children to brush properly

Teach Them Habits for Life

Teaching your children to brush and floss their teeth properly at a young age is important. 

As soon as a child gets their first tooth it is important to start brushing. Whilst initially your baby might not like the feel of the toothbrush, the more persistent you are, the more your child will fall into the habit of having their teeth cleaned. Start with using either small baby toothbush, other similar specialty product, even your clean finger or microcloth hand towel.

Use a rice-grain sized amount of age appropriate toothpaste on their brush and try and brush for as close to two minutes as you can. You may need to cradle the head of a young baby or lie them down on the edge of the bed. 

Toddler Tooth Brushing

When your child reaches the age of two, it’s a great time to start letting them practice brushing their teeth, please note that this should not replace the parental brushing but be in addition to parental assistance. Your dentist advices that children under the age of 8 should receive adult assistance when brushing their teeth as they don’t always have the dexterity to brush their teeth properly. 

Teach your child to brush the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of their teeth in small circle or small strokes away from the gum line. 

For children over the age of two, add a small pea sized amount of children’s fluoride toothpaste to their toothbrush, your child might initially bite their tooth brush and miss many of their teeth, but the practice is great. 

Lead by example and get your child to brush their teeth at the same time you are, and then take the toothbrush, add some more toothpaste and do a thorough brush of their teeth yourself. 

Ensure your child spits out as much toothpaste as possible. 

Everyone should brush their teeth at least twice a day for two-minutes at a time, and this is the same for children, once in the morning and once at night with a soft child-size brush. 

Dentist’s tips 

Taking your child to the supermarket and getting them to choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste can get them excited about brushing their teeth. There are so many colours and characters on toothbrushes these days, so let them choose their favourite. 

  • Getting a child to brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes can be tough, but if you set a timer, or play a two-minute song they like, they’ll soon get in the habit. 
  • Visit your dentist and get them used to the dental chair; not only can we check that their teeth are forming and coming through properly, it’s also a great way to get them used to the dentist and realise that we are not to be feared. 
  • Make tooth brushing part of their morning and bedtime routine, add it to their chore chart and offer rewards for good brushing habits.  

Your Dentist Is Here to Help

Ensuring your child has optimum dental hygiene is important. Not sure where to start? Call the team at Green Dental Oxley in Brisbane and we’ll walk you through tried and tested hints and tips to assist you. 

A dentist near me that cares

When you want a dental practice that cares, Matthew and Roger Moo are your local dental specialists in Brisbane.

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