With being a parent comes a lot of stress, a lot of which can come from your child’s health and well-being. There is no worse feeling as a parent than wondering if you are protecting your child any way you can. A huge part of a child’s overall health is their dental health.
Whether it’s your first child or your third, proper dental hygiene for kids can be a confusing task to tackle. When should you first take your child to the dentist? How long should your child brush for, and how many times a day? We’re here to help answer all of those tough questions!
Brushing Frequency
At a young age, it is important that teeth brushing becomes a frequent habit. Dentists and other professionals recommend that kids brush their teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Good brushing habits that start early can last a lifetime, so there is no such thing as starting too young.
Not to mention, the health of your child’s baby teeth is just as important as their permanent teeth down the line. The risk of cavities or infections is significant in young kids and can follow them into adulthood, so brushing twice a day as early as possible is a must!
Brushing Duration
Hitting the two minute mark for teeth brushing time is extremely important, especially for children. Two minutes is the proper amount of time to ensure all of the tough spots are accounted for.
As we know, kids have short attention spans so it may be difficult for them to focus on such a task for two whole minutes. We encourage parents to stick around during teeth brushing time to encourage good habits and make sure the two minutes are met. You can always assist your child in brushing their teeth until they are capable of doing it fully on their own. Whatever you can do to get them brushing for two minutes is an accomplishment!
Rinsing After Brushing
The question of rinsing is a tricky one, as there is no clear answer. For younger kids, it is probably best that they rinse their mouth out after brushing their teeth, so they don’t swallow too much toothpaste.
However, for older children who can avoid swallowing toothpaste, rinsing is not the best option. The fluoride in most toothpaste can have a lasting effect even once brushing is over. The remaining concentrated fluoride can help protect the teeth, preventing tooth issues and contributing to optimal oral hygiene.
Further Preventing Issues
There is no way to guarantee that your child won’t get a cavity or two, but there are definitely things you can do to prevent it!
Using a toothpaste with fluoride is a great way to protect kids' teeth to the fullest extent. Fluoride has many additional benefits and is extremely effective in small amounts. Just make sure your child understands that they should not be swallowing their toothpaste.
Mouthwash can be a good option for effectively protecting kids teeth, however, the American Dental Association recommends waiting until children are at least six years old to use toothpaste. There’s no need to worry, as most toothpastes will have fluoride in them already. We recommend you speak with your dentist about the right time to add mouthwash to your child’s brushing regimen.
Kids should enjoy being kids, and part of that is eating yummy foods, but some foods can have a lasting negative effect on dental hygiene. There are some foods that should generally be avoided, including sticky candies, flavored drinks, and starchy foods. Whenever possible, ensure your child brushes their teeth immediately after consuming these items to prevent any damage from occurring.
With consistent brushing habits of brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, your child will be on the right track to great dental hygiene, as long as they are brushing properly. Ensuring proper technique with the addition of fluoride and preventing certain snacks can greatly impact your child’s dental health.
Great habits start at a young age, so get your child brushing their teeth properly and consistently as soon as you can! We promise it gets easier with time.
Make Brushing Enjoyable
A common misconception is that kids don’t brush their teeth, which isn’t necessarily true. The root of dental health issues among children in the U.S is the lack of proper brushing. Kids simply do not like to brush their teeth, so they will rush through the task, doing it improperly, and try to avoid it at all costs. If the narrative around brushing is changed, and it becomes an activity kids actually enjoy, there could be a significant change in dental hygiene amongst kids which inevitably follows them into adulthood.
When using a Toothbrush Toy, your child will be immersed in the fun world of teeth brushing. Not only will they get excited to use their toothbrush and brush their teeth, but they will stay engaged for the entire two minutes while watching the animated story included with the brush. The experience of teeth brushing is forever changed, as a once dreadful chore becomes a fun activity for the entire family.
To learn more about Toothbrush Toys what we offer, visit ToothbrushToys.com. Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive discounts, the inside scoop on upcoming product drops, and more teeth brushing hacks!