When To Start Brushing Your Child’s Teeth

Massaging your infant’s gums while teething is not only soothing for the child, but it also begins teaching your child to become familiar with brushing. Wiping a baby's toothless gums with a wet washcloth after feedings can also promote gum health as it removes surface bacteria that can cause inflammation. 

Once your child’s first teeth have come in, use a soft toothbrush, which you can use on both the teeth and the gums. Dr. Matt Corbin with Corbin Dental recommends brushing your child’s teeth twice per day for two minutes with short, circular movements to reach all tooth surfaces.

Knowing when a child is capable of brushing their own teeth effectively can be tricky. Dr. Corbin suggests following the rule of thumb that if a child is capable of tying their own shoes, then they are able to brush their teeth effectively. Until then, parents should do the brushing to make sure all surfaces are reached appropriately. 

Fluoridated toothpaste is one of the best and safest ways we can prevent cavities. Fluoride works to protect teeth by making them stronger and more resistant to cavities and can even help arrest or reverse the early stages of tooth decay. Once those first teeth start coming through the gums, it is safe to begin brushing them using a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. At age 3, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and have your child spit after brushing.

For more information about your child’s dental health, call Corbin Dental in Franklin, NC today to schedule an appointment. 

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When should you schedule your child’s first dental visit?

Many American children don’t see their family dentist until they are well over 2 years old, which is far later than recommended by professionals. Dr. Matt Corbin supports following The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommendation to have your child’s first dentist visit before their first birthday. 

Getting your child to the dentist before their first birthday not only ensures those first teeth are growing in as they should, but it also introduces your child to the dentist to help build their confidence and trust in future appointments. It’s also great to bring small children along with older siblings that are comfortable in the dental chair.

The first dental appointment is also just as important for parents, as they get a chance to talk to the dentist about oral health care for children, nutrition, and fluoride and how it plays into the overall health of your child’s teeth. The risk for tooth decay begins as soon as teeth begin to erupt. Having a dentist examine your child’s teeth early on can help prevent any issues from arising or correcting small problems before they become bigger ones.

Children begin to lose their primary or “baby” teeth around 6 years old, however, they typically don’t lose all of them until 11 or 12 years of age. Failing to properly take care of primary teeth at the early stages can result in overcrowding problems with adult teeth or other functional issues. 

Call Corbin Dental in Franklin, NC today to set up your child’s first dental visit.

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Flossing Your Child’s Teeth

Per guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA), Dr. Matt Corbin at Corbin Dental recommends that you start flossing your child’s primary (baby) teeth as soon as you see there is contact (no space) between them. Toothbrushes can reach all surfaces of teeth if there is adequate space between them, but when that space closes, flossing is the best way to remove plaque from between the teeth.

If not removed effectively, plaque between the teeth can cause cavities to form in this area. Remember, parents will need to floss for young children and supervise older ones. Flossing can be difficult for children to master alone and it is important to establish regular flossing habits if you want to give them optimal oral health by the time that they reach adulthood.

The act of flossing should be performed once each day. The floss should go all the way down the tooth and underneath the gum line. You should form a “C” shape to hug the tooth to make sure you get all the way around the surface of the tooth. 

To learn more about dental health for your child, schedule an appointment at Corbin Dental in Franklin, NC today.

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