As soon as the first teeth appear, you can begin to care for them. First, use a piece of gauze or a cotton swab to brush your teeth. Wrap gauze on your finger and moisten with boiled water. You can purchase a special silicone fingertip toothbrush. Clean your baby’s mouth gently. Toothpaste is optional at this point. Switch to using a classic toothbrush gradually. This will help the child get used to the sensation of a toothbrush in the mouth and form a good habit of daily brushing.
Use the right appliances
I recommend products designed specifically for children. These are special children’s toothpaste and manual and electric toothbrushes. At Oral-B has a wonderful line of products Stages, which will provide you with everything you need to fight tooth decay in children.
Children under 6 years old should use fluoride-containing fluoride pastes at a level of 500 ppm. After 6 years you can already use pastes with 1450 ppm, from 12 years you should choose pastes with tin fluoride. From 3 years old, it is advisable to replace the manual brush with an electric one with reciprocating technology. Such brushes remove 2 times more plaque and more effectively take care of the gums.
Choosing the right brush
What should I look for when choosing a toothbrush? Several important parameters are described below.
Decor
Choose a bright brush. You can easily find one that will appeal to the child. The brush should not be overloaded with decorative elements: this can make it inconvenient to use.
Children’s brush must be age-appropriate
Depending on this parameter, a certain size is selected. As the baby grows older, the brush needs to be changed. Younger students can brush their teeth, the bristles of which are similar to bristles for adults, but the head should be small and the handle should be long and comfortable. Remember that from 5–7 years old children’s teeth change. During this period, it is better to buy a brush on which there are bristles with different lengths.
A pen
The brush handle is usually decorated with elements that attract the attention of the baby (cartoon characters and fairy tales). Give preference to models with a base made of non-slip material.
Brush head
Estimate the size and shape of the brush head. If it is too big and uncomfortable, the child will be uncomfortable to brush his teeth, and he will be reluctant to master this new habit. An oversized head will not allow you to clean the teeth in the bend of the jaw. The optimal size is 2-3 baby teeth. This makes it easier to avoid gum damage.
Bristle type
Good toothbrushing is provided by toothbrushes for children with bristles up to 11 millimeters high. Before the age of tooth change, buy models with even bristles so that the pressure on the entire jaw is uniform. Choose models with soft bristles or medium-hard bristles: too hard bristles can damage the baby’s gums. Prefer synthetic bristles. Natural hairs consist of a heterogeneous structure with the presence of channels in which bacteria accumulate. Such bristles break quickly, the cleaning surface becomes prickly and can damage children’s gums.
Choose the right size
Make sure the size of the toothbrush fits the baby’s smallmouth. It is important to use a brush designed for a certain age. If the brush head is large, then the child will not be able to get his back teeth, which means that the plaque on them will remain and will accumulate. Do not save on toothbrushes. Their quality directly affects the health of your child. Electric toothbrushes are considered more effective. Choosing this, dental crowns Torrance recommends giving preference to the round shape of the nozzle.
Think small
The amount of toothpaste with fluoride to strengthen the teeth should be about the size of a pea. Encourage your child to brush his teeth in a circular motion, make sure that each tooth is brushed. The amount of paste does not affect the quality of brushing – the movements that the child makes during brushing play a much more important role.
