At Gross Dentistas we are aware of the importance of teaching children, from an early age, daily habits to maintain healthy oral hygiene.
Acquiring these types of habits is key to preventing possible problems that may affect oral health in the future, such as: the appearance of cavities, inflammation of the gums, bad breath, eating problems, etc.
For this reason, we want to offer you a series of recommendations that we are sure will be of great help to you.
When to start taking care of oral hygiene in children?
Knowing when is the right time to start child oral hygiene is a question that most parents ask themselves.
From the eruption of the first milk tooth, which is usually around 6 months, it is advisable to clean your baby’s mouth at least once a day and preferably at night before sleeping. On the other hand, when the second tooth appears, the use of dental floss should be started so that the child gets used to it.
As time goes by, around 2-5 years old, it is the parents who will have to continue helping him brush his teeth, in this way the child observes how it is done and learns. At a minimum it would be necessary to brush twice a day, after breakfast and after dinner.
When they start to be a little more independent, from the age of 6 they can use the toothbrush and floss on their own. This is the perfect time, so that through the supervision of the parents they begin to put into practice everything they have learned. Ideally, they should do it three times a day after each meal and last for two minutes.
How do we help our children want to brush their teeth?
Sometimes many little ones are reluctant to practice oral hygiene in children. The reasons can be several: they prefer to go play, they find it boring, they choose to watch television, they are tired, among others.
For this reason, it is important to encourage them to want to do it, so that it does not pose any type of problem or disorder. But how do we do it? We recommend that you:
- Do your tooth brushing at the same time as your child and in front of a mirror, children are very likely to imitate what their elders do. Therefore, if he sees you do it, he will too.
- Make brushing time a game. Is there a little one who can resist playing? Make this daily routine seem fun with stories, runs to the bathroom, timing, put on music, etc. Spin your imagination!
- Let him choose his toothbrush, that the child likes his brush is synonymous with wanting to use it. There is a wide variety of toothbrushes: with bright colors, with drawings, with different shapes, etc.
- Explain why it is important for him to learn that there are “bad bugs” that can harm his dental health. It is a good awareness raising method.
- Congratulate him when he does well, if there is recognition there will be motivation to repeat the action.
At Gross Dentistas we hope these little tricks will be useful for the little ones to enter into a healthy lifestyle. Emphasizing your child’s oral health is important to prevent dental problems or pathologies.
If you want more information about children’s oral hygiene or about any other dental matter or service, contact Gross Dentistas, your trusted dental clinic in Malaga. We will be happy to assist you and assist you!
Ortodoncista especializada en el sistema de ortodoncia invisible, extensa trayectoria profesional y un gran número de pacientes satisfechos con los resultados obtenidos tras la finalización de su tratamiento.