Brushing
Parents should brush their children’s teeth for them until age 8 or until the child shows that they have mastered brushing on their own. This is usually not before age 7. Children need spot-checking of their brushing until about 9 or 10 or at the advice of your dentist. For children over 5, use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, enough to cover the bristles. For children under 5 who cannot spit out very well, use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. It is important to remind your child not to swallow any toothpaste, as ingestion of fluoride can cause stomach upset and also cause too much fluoride uptake of developing teeth and bones. Move the brush in small circular motions to reach the gums and the junction between the teeth and the gums.
Hold the toothbrush at an angle and brush slowly and carefully, covering all areas between teeth and the surface of each tooth. It should take at least two minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth.
Brush up on the lower teeth, down on the upper teeth and the outside, inside and chewing surface of all front and back teeth. Brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you rinse.
Brush your teeth 2-3 times daily to avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque. Ideal times to brush are:
- In the morning after breakfast
- After lunch or right after school
- At bedtime
A soft-bristled toothbrush should always be used. As soon as the bristles start to wear down or fray, replace your toothbrush with a new one. Usually, this takes about three months. If the bristles fray sooner than three months, you are probably brushing too hard.
Flossing
For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach, dental floss is used to remove food particles and plaque. Dental floss is a thin thread of waxed nylon that is used to reach below the gum line and clean between teeth. It is very important to floss between your teeth every day.
Pull a small length of floss from the dispenser. Wrap the ends of the floss tightly around your middle fingers. Guide the floss between all teeth to the gum line, pulling out any food particles or plaque. Unwrap clean floss from around your fingers as you go, so that you have used the floss from beginning to end when you finish. Floss behind all of your back teeth.
Include flossing in the bedtime routine. When you first begin flossing, the gums may bleed a little. If the bleeding does not go away after the first few times, let your dentist know at your next appointment.
