Dental Emergency
Your child’s dental health is important to us. We offer same-day appointments for patients in pain
When Should You Begin Brushing Children’s Teeth?
It is important to begin gently brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they erupt and they should be brushed twice a day. It is best to brush first thing in the morning and just before they go to bed as the mouth produces less saliva overnight enabling disease causing bacteria to thrive in the drier conditions.
Brushing Instructions
You will need to brush your child’s teeth for them until about age 7 or 8 as before this time they will not have the manual dexterity to manipulate a toothbrush. Use a child’s soft toothbrush to clean their teeth and brush in tiny circles right down to the gum line as this is where plaque on teeth tends to form. (see: how to remove plaque from teeth) Make sure you methodically brush each tooth surface so the entire mouth is clean. We can provide you with lots of practical information and advice on how to brush your child’s teeth, including practical demonstrations on the best way to do this.
How to Floss
Flossing is important as a toothbrush will not reach in between each tooth and these contact areas are more prone towards developing cavities. Begin to floss your child’s teeth as soon as they are in contact with each other. Most children will need to have their teeth flossed for them until age 10. Make sure you take the dental floss right down to and just below the gum line and wrap the floss around the tooth before moving it back up to remove the maximum amount of teeth plaque. Flossing can be tricky at any age and you might find it easier to use soft picks to gently clean in between their teeth. Please ask our dental hygienists for practical help and advice with flossing as they know it can be a difficult task to manage with very young children.
D1330 – Oral Hygiene Instruction