Making Sure Your Kids Are Brushing Properly
A dentist is a medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the teeth, gums, and mouth. Dental health is important for everyone. It's especially important for children because their teeth are still developing.
Pediatric teeth that are lost before they are due to be shed can leave enough space in the mouth for remaining teeth to migrate from their proper positions, leading to the need for braces. Additionally, decay that is present in the baby teeth can spread to adult teeth that have not yet erupted.
Problems with a child's teeth are often avoidable. Healthy habits can protect the state of the teeth and gums.
One of the most important dental hygienic habits for kids is regular brushing. Like adults, kids should brush twice a day. Nevertheless, for brushing to be most effective, it must be performed properly.
Here are a few considerations to make sure that your kids brush properly.
Choose the Right Brush
The head of the brush selected for the brushing session should be small enough to fit comfortably in the youngster's mouth and reach the back teeth. Also, the bristles of the brush should be soft. Hard bristles can erode the enamel, making the child's teeth more susceptible to decay.
Use Fluoride Toothpaste
Although fluoride-free toothpaste is available for kids. As long as your little one is old enough to refrain from swallowing the paste, toothpaste with fluoride is a better option. The fluoride helps remineralize to discourage the development of cavities. The fluoride attracts displace minerals back to the enamel surface.
Don't Allow Brushing Immediately After Meals
The timing of the brushing is also important. The child should not brush until at least 30 minutes have passed since their meal. The acidic content in food and drinks can temporarily soften the tooth enamel, making brushing more likely to remove small amounts of tooth enamel.
Two-minute Brushing Sessions
Also, when the child brushes, they should be sure to continue brushing for at least two minutes. To help ensure they continue for the recommended time, try setting a timer on your cell phone or having the child brush as you play one of their favorite songs. Most songs last longer than two minutes, and the ending of the song can signal to the child that their brushing session is complete.
To learn more about healthy dental habits, schedule a consultation with a children's dentist in your local area.