As all adults know, brushing your teeth is important. Over
many years of tooth brushing, you have mastered the technique of brushing your
teeth. This technique, though, doesn’t come naturally. Children don’t naturally
spend time brushing the inside or very backs of their teeth. Simply
establishing a routine that involves brushing their teeth twice a day isn’t
enough. They must be taught proper technique. Dental clinics such as Genesis
Dental recommend that children learn the following when brushing their teeth:
- Brush all areas.
- Make sure the gums are brushed, too.
- Spend adequate time brushing your teeth.
- Floss daily.
- Rinse with fluoride.
Brush All Areas
For children, brushing all areas is one of their weakest points.
They like to spend their time brushing the front teeth. They don’t like to
brush the back teeth very well and don’t spend as much time on the inside of
the teeth, either. In part this is because these areas are difficult and
uncomfortable to reach. Help them establish a routine where they brush the
front, back, outsides, and insides each time they brush.
Brush the Gums
Brushing the gums is important. It helps stimulate blood
flow and maintain healthy gums. You don’t have to brush them separately,
though. Just make sure that when the children are brushing the sides of their
teeth, the toothbrush is also brushing the gums.
Spend Adequate Time
The amount of time you spend brushing your teeth is
important. Most dentists recommend that you spend two minutes brushing your
teeth each time you do it. This can seem like a long time for children. To help
them learn the time, get a little timer that they can watch such as an hour
glass.
Floss Daily
Even though kids’ teeth often do not touch each other, they
still need to floss every day for three reasons. First, there are some food
particles that they do remove. Second, flossing helps gums stay healthy.
Finally, it establishes a habit of flossing.
Rinse with Fluoride
Clinics such as Genesis Dental recommend that children rinse with fluoride after they brush their
teeth. The best time is right before they go to bed so that the fluoride will
stay on their teeth longer because they won’t be eating or drinking for a
while.
