What do you do if your child hates brushing teeth? Here are some tips for how to do so. If your child is teething, consider refrigerating or freezing the damp washcloth for a few minutes. Many parents feel unsure about when to start brushing baby teeth.
Do parents need to begin brushing with a toothbrush and toothpaste that early? As soon as your child has a tooth, plaque can begin building up on the surface of the tooth and causing decay. What if your toddler runs away at the sight of a toothbrush? Read on for some tips for how to brush baby teeth and how to brush toddler teeth! Twice a day — in the morning and before bed — apply a thin coating of toothpaste to the brush no more than a grain-of-rice-sized amount of toothpaste , place the brush at a degree angle and gently brush in a circular motion for two minutes.
It also helps encourage your child not to be nervous around the dentist as they get older. Establishing your child with a pediatric dentist is also an excellent way to emphasize your commitment to their oral health. Babies squirm, fuss or fall asleep before they should. They protest having things in their mouth or try to grab the toothbrush for a closer look. First, and most crucially, relax. Before baby cuts their first tooth, wipe their gums down with a clean, damp washcloth.
There are specific kinds of toothpaste designed for young children, but many of these do not contain fluoride, a mineral that can prevent tooth decay. In the past, dentists recommended children under the age of 2 use fluoride-free toothpaste. The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated those guidelines to allow for fluoride toothpaste at all ages , as long as you use it sparingly and under direct parental supervision.
Some parents prefer to transition from a washcloth to a soft-bristled toothbrush, while others prefer to ease the transition by using silicone finger brushes for baby teeth. Once your child is ready for a baby toothbrush , there are plenty of options to start with. While silicone brushes are fun and comfortable for the gums, they are not as efficient as nylon-bristle brush at removing plaque from the teeth.
If your baby is laying down and his head is supported, it allows you to have one free hand to lift the lips and cheeks out of the way, while the other hand brushes the teeth. Be sure to get the front surfaces, as well as the hard-to-see back surfaces and grooves.
Babies can get gingivitis just like adults, so be sure to brush along their gum line to lower their risk of bleeding gums and gum disease. Because babies are often squirmy, it may take two adults to get the job done— one adult to hold the baby, and the other whose job is to focus solely on brushing.
Sugar causes tooth decay. It's not just about the amount of sugar in sweet food and drinks, but how long and how often the teeth are in contact with sugar. Lollipops and sweet drinks in a formula bottle are particularly damaging, because they bathe the teeth in sugar for long periods of time. The acid in drinks like fruit juice and squash can harm teeth as well.
The sugars found naturally in whole fruit and milk are less likely to cause tooth decay, so you don't need to cut down on these types of sugars.
These tips will help you reduce the amount of sugar in your child's diet and prevent tooth decay:. Sucrose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, fructose and hydrolysed starch are all sugars. Invert sugar or syrup, honey, raw sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, muscovado sugar and concentrated fruit juices are also sugars.
It's fine to give your baby a dummy but avoid using them after 12 months of age. Using dummies after this can encourage an open bite, which is when teeth move to make space for the dummy. They may also affect your child's speech development. Discourage your child from talking or making sounds with a dummy or their thumb in their mouth, and don't dip dummies in anything sweet, such as sugar or jam.
In this video, a health visitor explains how you should brush your child's teeth and the importance of routine. Page last reviewed: 15 January Next review due: 15 January This publication is provided for education and information purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care.
Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your healthcare professional. Readers should note that over time currency and completeness of the information may change. All users should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional for a diagnosis and answers to their medical questions.
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