Kids Dental Hygiene
 
Should I clean my baby's teeth? Definitely! Even before the first tooth appears, you can use a soft, clean cloth to wipe your baby's gums and cheeks after feedings. Once the first tooth appears, you can begin using a small, soft bristled tooth brush to clean the tooth after eating, but do not cover the brush with toothpaste. Small children tend to swallow the toothpaste, and swallowing too much fluoridated toothpaste may cause permanent spots on their teeth called dental fluorosis.

Do you have any suggestions for brushing their teeth? You may try having your child lie down, put them on your lap or sitting on the floor. If your child prefers to stand, you may have his/her back to you with their head tilted slightly, resting against your body. Having your child hold a mirror while you brush and floss their teeth may be helpful, as they can see what is being done.

Is it important to brush before bed? Yes. If you have to miss a brushing, the bedtime one is probably the worst one to miss. If night brushing is missed then the bacteria and sugar which cause the cavities, have all night to do harm to your child's teeth. Saliva helps to keep the mouth clean while you are awake, however, when sleeping there is less saliva is produced, meaning less saliva to clean the mouth. Therefore it is very important to brush before bed.

A child will need a smaller brush than an adult. Since young children do not have the manual dexterity to brush properly, you will need to supervise and help your child brush in order to ensure a thorough brushing has been done. If the bristles of the brush become bent or frayed, a new brush is needed. If the child has been sick, the brush should be replaced. A good time to start flossing your child's teeth is when the teeth touch each other and you can no longer brush in between them, but you may start earlier to get them use to the routine of flossing.