FAQ » Oral Hygiene for Your Child

Oral Hygiene for Your Child

Brushing

As soon as your baby's teeth first appear, you should begin cleaning them with a soft infant toothbrush, using water only. No toothpaste is needed until your child is two or three years old. Clean all sides of the teeth as well as the surface of the g ums.

As your child gets older, you can introduce toothpaste. Use just a pea-sized amount, and brush very gently. Wipe your child's mouth with a damp cloth when you're finished, as a substitute for rinsing. Once children reach about one year of age, they li ke to try brushing themselves. They also learn by example, so brush your own teeth in front of your child, and have fun with it! You can even let your child brush your teeth. Make it a fun experience, to reinforce the oral hygiene habit.

You will still need to clean your child's teeth at least twice a day, until age three or four. You will then need to supervise the process, as children under age eight do not have the fine motor skills necessary to brush their teeth thoroughly.

Disclosing tablets

Disclosing tablets can help your child see how much plaque is left behind by staining it red. You can tell your child that cavities, which are small holes in the teeth, are caused by plaque, an invisible, sticky film of food and bacteria that forms co nstantly on teeth. Every time you eat, the bacteria in plaque produce acid; it's this acid that causes cavities. Plaque is nearly invisible, but it really shows up after being stained with a disclosing tablet.

The tablets are made from a harmless vegetable dye. After brushing and flossing, give your child a disclosing tablet to chew up and swish around. Your child should then spit it into the sink, rinse with water, look into the mirror and smile! It's like ly that there will be several red spots on your child's teeth. You can also use a small mirror to show the red-stained plaque hiding behind the teeth.

Brushing and flossing these missed areas will not only remove the red dye, but the remaining plaque, as well. Use disclosing tablets periodically to check your child's home care habits.

Flossing

Each day, clean both sides of your child's teeth by flossing them, paying special attention to the teeth that touch each other. This removes plaque that a toothbrush can't reach.