Tooth Brushing Habits in Babies
When should tooth brushing start in children?
When the baby is 6-8 months old (that is, when the first teeth appear in the mouth), the cleaning process should begin. After breakfast and before going to bed at night, it would be appropriate to wipe the teeth (at least the chewing surfaces) by wetting a clean cheesecloth or gauze.
It is appropriate to start using a toothbrush after the child’s back teeth erupt (approximately 2.5 – 3 years old).
It is very difficult to implement a technique for brushing teeth in preschool children. The important thing at this age is to give the child the habit of brushing teeth. When brushing, children often brush the visible or easily accessible surfaces of the teeth. However, in order to prevent caries, it is necessary to clean the interfaces and chewing surfaces of the teeth much better. For this reason, it is good for Parents to control after brushing.
How to choose a toothbrush for children?
Toothbrushes made of soft and nylon bristles, suitable for the child’s mouth size, should be used. hard brushes teeth
How many times a day should I brush my child’s teeth?
Just three minutes of effective brushing is sufficient after breakfast and before going to bed at night. Like every good habit, the habit of brushing teeth will be acquired in childhood.
Gaining Tooth Brushing Habit, Tooth Brushing Training
One of the most common complaints from mothers and fathers is; Their children are not brushing their teeth enough. The easiest and most effective way for children to maintain this habit in the future is to start brushing their teeth at an early age. As pediatric dentists; The method we will recommend to parents in this regard; As soon as your baby’s first teeth begin to erupt, teeth will be cleaned. After the first milk tooth erupts, you can start cleaning your baby’s teeth with a clean cloth or with baby toothbrushes with soft bristles specially produced for babies. The first brushing attempts can be difficult or even unsuccessful, but over time this will become a habit that your baby likes. Regular brushing, especially when the milk teeth are just starting to erupt, will have a massaging effect on the gums, causing your baby to relax and reduce toothache. Of course, going to a pediatric dentist with the appearance of the first teeth in the mouth and examining the first teeth in your child’s mouth by a specialist will be the right approach to prevent your baby’s oral and dental health problems.
How can I get my child into the habit of brushing teeth?
Another frequently asked question by families is concerns about using toothpaste while brushing. Generally, babies and children love the taste of toothpaste and swallow it while brushing. For this reason, it would be a more correct approach not to use toothpaste for brushing teeth in children younger than 2.5-3 years old. However, it would not be right to generalize on behalf of all children in this regard. For this reason, it is the right thing to decide by consulting your pedodontist whether to use paste while brushing your baby’s teeth. Do not forget that; Fluoridated toothpaste that children can swallow too much can cause problems for their teeth and general body health.
Tips for getting your baby and children into the habit of brushing teeth:
-Brush your own teeth with a separate toothbrush while brushing your teeth,
-Get him some toothbrushes. Let these brushes be of different colors and with different comic book characters. Have him choose a different brush each time. This choice will increase his tooth brushing desire and motivation.
-Make sure to create a toothbrushing board at home and mark on the board after each brushing.
-Let him brush his teeth first, then let him brush yours and then yours.
-Place an hourglass in the bathroom and keep time by turning the hourglass upside down each time you brush. About 2 minutes of brushing will suffice.
-Remember that your baby or child has no knowledge of tooth decay. Feed him a sticky candy, chocolate or biscuit and show him how it sticks to his teeth in the mirror. Then brush her teeth and show her in the mirror how beautiful, clean and white her teeth are.
In addition to these, taking your child to a pedodontist after the first milk tooth erupts (6-9 months) will provide you with more detailed information about your child’s oral hygiene. If the pediatric dentist brushes your child’s teeth during regular dental check-ups, or other children brushing their teeth in the clinical setting, will definitely increase his motivation.
It should not be forgotten that regular brushing will play a big role in preventing your child’s future dental problems.