We’ve all been told that it’s important to brush and floss our teeth from our parents and from the dentist since we were children. Now that you’re a parent, you get to impart that same wisdom to your children, starting when your child is still an infant. As soon as your child graduates into the world of having teeth, it’s time to start taking care of them.
Of course, flossing a child’s teeth is easier said than done, but even baby teeth need proper care, and it’s important to instill the habit of flossing daily at an early age. At first, you’ll have to do it for him, but once your child reaches the age of 10, he’ll develop the ability to floss on his own. When your child’s still a baby, use floss that is soft and flexible so that it doesn’t hurt their teeth and is comfortable on their gums.
For the first flossing sessions, sit your child on your lap, facing you. Floss his teeth as you would your own, using your index fingers and thumbs to guide the floss gently between teeth. Gently slide the floss up and down against the tooth surface and under the gum line, flossing each tooth with a clean section. Since it can be tough to get your child to sit still for terribly long, focus on the molars first, if he has them, and work your way from back to front. You can use regular or flavored floss on your child’s teeth or a handheld plastic flosser made especially for kids.
Even though they are “just baby teeth,” your child needs those teeth to be healthy through his early teens. Childhood tooth decay is a rampant problem, and it’s extremely common to see even very young children with decay between their molars. The best way to prevent this is to make sure brushing and flossing happens daily. It’s also important that your child sees the dentist regularly to make sure his teeth are healthy and developing correctly. If it’s time for an appointment, give us a call today, or request an appointment online here.