Nobody hands you a how-to book on teaching your child about their oral health, which is a difficult task to take on! Fortunately, with the help of your little one’s children’s dentist in Casper, you can learn about how developing smiles should be cared for and when you can trust your little one to be able to brush and floss on their own. Read on to learn some basics on children’s at-home oral hygiene so you can ensure that their growing smile stays happy and healthy into adulthood.
Cleaning Your Infant & Toddler’s Teeth
Even when your child doesn’t have any teeth, it’s still important to clean their gums to prevent any bacteria accumulation in their mouth. All you need to do is grab a clean, soft washcloth or sterile gauze pad and get it damp. Run the cloth along their top and bottom gums after meals, breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and before bedtime.
As soon as your child does grow a tooth, which typically happens between the ages of six and 12 months, you’ll need to start brushing it. You can do this using a small, baby-sized toothbrush. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends using a rice grain-size amount of fluoride toothpaste until they turn three, then you can graduate to a pea-sized amount.
Trusting Your Child to Brush & Floss on Their Own
It’s important that your child know the basic techniques of brushing and flossing and why it’s so important to do these tasks every day before you trust them to effectively brush and floss on their own. Sometimes, this can be difficult to teach, but with the help of their children’s dentist, it might be a bit easier to communicate. Many kids learn how to brush their teeth without swallowing any toothpaste by the time they’re six years old. However, this doesn’t mean that they’ll be diligent about brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day. That’s why it’s a good idea to continue supervising them until they reach the age of nine or 10. By this time, they should be able to take care of brushing and flossing on their own.
Taking Your Child in For Their First Dental Appointment
The earlier you take your child in to visit their dentist, the better. This will help them become accustomed to the sights, sounds, and smells of the dental office, making it less likely that they will develop a dental phobia.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends taking your child in for their first routine checkup and cleaning by the time their first tooth grows in, or by their first birthday. They will examine your kiddo’s mouth and make sure that everything is developing properly. Your child’s dentist can also be a great resource for you to learn about helpful tips and tricks to encourage your little one to keep up with their oral hygiene at home!
About the Author
Dr. Erin Prach opened her dental practice in 2015 with a mission to provide high-quality and trustworthy dental care to families in and around Casper. She offers comprehensive dental care for patients of all ages, including providing several kid-friendly dental treatments to ward off common oral health problems for developing smiles, like cavities. If your child hasn’t seen a dentist within the last six months, you can visit her website or call 307-337-4770 to schedule an appointment.