How to Brush Your Child’s Teeth Correctly
ORAL HYGIENE HABITS FOR KIDS
Proper oral hygiene habits for kids start at a young age. As soon as your child’s first tooth erupts, you as the parent can start helping your child understand and develop proper oral hygiene habits by brushing your child’s teeth twice a day. Parents should continue brushing their child’s teeth until you are confident that your child can brush their teeth thoroughly and independently.
With proper brushing instruction and technique, most children should be able to brush their own teeth by the time they begin preschool. Children should continue receiving supervision during brushing to ensure they are brushing properly - and to be celebrated after a job well done!
To be sure you are brushing your child’s teeth correctly, follow the instructions below.
How to Brush Your Child’s Teeth Properly
Choose the right toothbrush. Children should use a child-size, soft-bristle toothbrush. While there are many designs and colors to choose from, we do recommend children use a toothbrush with a non-slip grip that makes it easy to hold and maneuver for little fingers.
Use the right amount of toothpaste. For children under 3 years old, use a small dab or smear of toothpaste about the size of a single grain of rice. Children ages 3 and up should use a pea-size amount of toothpaste.
Hold the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle towards the teeth.
Use gentle and short, tooth-sized strokes. To clean the surface of each tooth, move the toothbrush gently back and forth across each tooth. Be careful to clean the outside, inside and chewing surface of each tooth. To clean the back of the front teeth, use the same technique but hold the toothbrush vertically.
Brush the tongue. The tongue harbors bacteria and needs to be brushed thoroughly just as often as the teeth.
Rinse and spit! Have your child pause and spit periodically during brushing then rinse thoroughly and spit after they finish.
To properly clean the teeth using the techniques described above should take about 2 minutes.
Free Printable Tooth Brushing Chart For Kids
Help your child develop healthy habits by downloading and printing “My Brushing Chart” using the button below. Print and laminate the chart to use in your child’s bathroom as a way to track brushing habits. At the end of a week or a month, celebrate good habits with a special reward!
Make the time more enjoyable for your child by playing a favorite song for 2 minutes or watching a short 2-minute video. However, do not allow your child to be distracted from the primary goal of properly brushing their teeth.
We also recommend talking to your child about the importance of having healthy teeth. Explain to your child how our teeth help us eat and grow strong. Let them know that brushing their teeth gets rid of the sticky bacteria that attack our teeth. And always be sure to lead by example. Brush your teeth together - or if you are still brushing your child’s teeth for him or her, brush your own teeth first and then brush theirs. Making silly faces almost always helps!
We know building healthy habits can be difficult for kids and new parents at first, but you’ve got this! And we are here to help. Pediatric dentist, Dr. Brent Caple, loves to help patients learn about the importance of brushing properly as well as other oral hygiene habits that will keep your child’s smile healthy and strong.
If your child has not yet had a dentist appointment or if you are looking for a pediatric dental clinic near you, we encourage you to book an appointment with at Brent Caple, DDS, Pediatric Dentistry today. During your dental visit, Dr. Caple will answer questions you may have about oral hygiene habits and also provide one-on-one coaching and instructions with our favorite dental assistant, Mr. Frog.
We look forward to providing you and your child with the best pediatric dental care!