Charlotte Children’s Dentist Offers Tips for Brushing and Flossing

As mommy or daddy, you teach your children so many life skills: how to hold a fork and knife, how to get dressed, how to tie their shoes, how to ride a bike, how to shower… Trust us, the list never ends. (Driving lessons anyone?) So it should come as no surprise that it’s also your responsibility to teach your children how to properly brush and floss their teeth. Just like everything else, there is a right way to perform these important hygiene tasks, too. Charlotte children’s dentist Dr. Marcela Mujica has a few tips to help you show your kids how best to brush and floss.

1. Monkey see, monkey do. No doubt you’ve heard that expression before and noticed that it really does work. Kids imitate what they see, so let your children see you brush and floss your teeth. What’s habitual for you will become a healthy habit for them, too.
2. Brushing for beginners. Up until the age of about six years old, your children need you to brush and floss for them. After that, they’re probably ready, so make sure they have a toothbrush with soft bristles that is the right size for smaller hands and toothpaste with fluoride.
3. It’s all about that angle. Kids have a tendency to press the brush directly against their teeth at a 90-degree angle. However, they should tip the brush to a 45-degree angle in order to brush the surfaces of their teeth as well as along the gum line.
4. Brush 2 minutes 2 times a day. That means that kids (and adults) should brush their teeth for at least two minutes two times a day. You can even purchase a toothbrush for your child that plays a happy tune for two minutes. When the music stops, they’ve brushed long enough.
5. Flossing is important because it removes particles of food trapped between teeth as well as plaque. Tear off about 18 inches of floss. Then, show your son or daughter how to gently guide the floss between teeth, and how to move the floss up and down and press the floss firmly against each tooth.
6. Advance the floss. Adults can wind most of the floss around their middle fingers in order to take up each used section of floss. For kids, however, this usually requires more manual dexterity than they have. So, show them how to start at one end of the floss and move it from one hand to the other, so they floss with a fresh section each time.

Contact Your Charlotte Children’s Dentist Today

Our team can also help your children learn how to brush and floss, too. Call All Kids Pediatric Dentistry, the dentist Charlotte parents trust for their children, to schedule a dental checkup.