Why do children still have cavities even though they brush their teeth every day? Here is a guide to brushing teeth for children!

Everyone knows that in order to have white and healthy teeth, oral hygiene must be done well. But there is a lot of knowledge involved in how to help children clean their teeth effectively.

1. When should children start brushing their teeth?

After the first tooth erupts, parents should help their children clean the tooth surface in the morning and evening. When there are only front teeth in the mouth, parents can use gauze or a fingertip toothbrush dipped in warm water to clean the child's teeth. After the big teeth erupt, use a toothbrush to clean them.

Cleaning teeth with gauze

2. When can children use toothpaste?

After the first tooth erupts, you can use toothpaste to assist oral cleaning. It is recommended to use children's fluoride toothpaste with a fluoride concentration of 500-1100ppm, because fluoride can effectively prevent tooth decay. However, you should pay attention to the amount of toothpaste used when using it. Children under 3 years old should use a rice-sized amount each time, and children over 3 years old should use a pea-sized amount each time. If there is a lot of toothpaste residue in the mouth, you can remove it with gauze or let the child rinse it with clean water.

Children under 3 years old should use toothpaste the size of a rice grain each time.

Children over 3 years old should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste each time

3. How to choose a toothbrush for your child?

The length of the toothbrush head is about the width of the child's two upper front teeth, and the height of the bristles is about the height of the child's upper front teeth. The bristles should be moderately soft and hard, not too soft. You can use a regular toothbrush or an electric toothbrush. As long as the brushing method is correct, both can effectively clean dental plaque.

Toothbrush head length

Toothbrush bristle height

4. What is the correct way to brush your teeth?

When brushing teeth, you should ensure that every surface of every tooth in the mouth is fully cleaned, especially the neck of the tooth and the pits and fissures of the large teeth, which are prone to plaque accumulation. It is recommended to use the circular brushing method for children aged 2-5 years old.

5. When can children brush their teeth by themselves?

After the age of 2-3, children can learn to brush their teeth, but brushing teeth is a fine motor skill of the hands, and the quality of completion cannot be guaranteed for children under the age of 6. Therefore, children under the age of 6 should brush their teeth with the help of their parents.

6. How to clean the adjacent surfaces of teeth?

Conventional brushing can only clean three surfaces, and the adjacent surfaces of teeth become dead corners that cannot be reached by toothbrushes. Plaque and food residues hidden here for a long time can easily cause caries of deciduous teeth. Therefore, dental floss should be used to clean the gaps between teeth every day to ensure oral health. The dental floss used by children is the same as that used by adults. You can use reel dental floss or dental floss sticks.

These little tips about oral hygiene,

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Let's help children together

Develop good oral hygiene habits from an early age.

Have a bright smile all your life!