Children
do not develop the dexterity to angle the toothbrush
towards the gumline and brush all surfaces of the teeth
until around 6-8 years of age, depending on the child’s
fine motor coordination and ability to stay focused on the
task. Often, young children brush randomly, missing
several areas of the teeth.
How
should I proceed? Stand behind your child, with her head held gently in
the crook of your arm. This will allow you to reach all
the teeth and keep your child stable.
The correct brushing technique is not too important in the
beginning. More important is the brushing pattern, so your
child learns to brush all areas of the teeth.
Start at one end of the mouth and work towards the other
end, remembering to brush all 3 surfaces, the front, top
and back. Angling the toothbrush bristles towards the gums
is important in removing the plaque, since this area is a
common place for plaque accumulation. Always brush from
downwards, never horizontally.
Dental floss is only needed in between the teeth that are
contacting each other. The key technique to cleansing the
sides of the teeth with floss is to wrap the floss around
the tooth’s side and rub the floss up and down going
slightly below the gumline.
"Me
do it!" There may come a time when your young child will want
to brush her teeth by herself - and that is good. But you
will still need to stay involved to be sure the teeth are
thoroughly cleaned. Go ahead, let her brush her teeth
first. Then you take a turn thoroughly re-brushing all of
the tooth surfaces.
Toothbrushing should always be supervised by an adult. Do
not let your child walk or crawl around with a toothbrush
hanging from her mouth. Several accidents resulting from
young children falling with toothbrushes in their mouths
have been reported.
After lunch food remnants can be removed from the teeth
with a vigorous swish of water. In case of sweet snacks,
additional brushing is recommended.
Before bed is a critical time to clean your child’s
mouth because saliva flow decreases, creating an
environment more susceptible to tooth decay.
In older children, the spaces between the teeth that are
touching should be cleaned once a day with dental floss.
A disclosing solution can help identify plaque on your
child’s teeth. This is an excellent tool for parents who
are unsure if they are doing an adequate job of brushing
their child’s teeth. The disclosing solution, which is
applied to the teeth with a cotton-tip applicator, colors
the plaque making it easier for you to recognize the areas
that need special attention. Your dental professionals can
provide advice on where to purchase disclosing solution.
