Despite the fact that a child’s baby teeth are replaced by permanent ones, they also require careful care. After all, caries baby tooth will also negatively affect the indigenous one. Without proper care of your baby's teeth, infections may appear in the oral cavity and develop various diseases. Even if your baby is not yet receiving complementary foods, tooth decay can occur due to sugar in breast milk, lactose, or other ingredients in formula.
Regular and consistent brushing of teeth will keep gums and enamel healthy and provide proper hygiene oral cavity, will eliminate bad smell from the mouth and yellow plaque from the gums Let's take a closer look at when you should start brushing your child's teeth. Let's learn more about how to properly brush children's teeth.
At what age should children brush their teeth?
Dentists advise parents to brush their own teeth for children under six or seven years old, or at least, control this process. You can accustom your child to brushing his teeth after two or three years. But it is important that he does it efficiently. Therefore, supervise your child, help and, if necessary, brush your teeth. At the age of two or three years, teach your child to rinse his mouth independently after each meal. By the age of nine, children should already be using both a toothbrush and dental floss.
How to teach a child to brush their teeth
You can teach your baby to brush his teeth on his own as early as 1.5-2 years. It is important that the baby is comfortable to hold and use. toothbrush. And also so that the baby likes the taste of the toothpaste. The best way Teaching a child something is a personal example. The baby loves to imitate the adult. Train your baby with early age go with you to the bathroom in the morning and evening, show how to wash your face and brush your teeth properly.
Introduce game elements into the process. For example, brush your teeth to the beat of a song or counting rhyme. Use interesting toothbrushes with characters from popular cartoons or fairy tales. Allow your child to take his favorite toy with him. And, of course, arrange competitions between adults and children to see who can brush their teeth the fastest. Be sure to teach your child to rinse his mouth after eating, and also teach him to spit out water and toothpaste after brushing.
Watch educational cartoons and programs with your child that game form They will show and tell the baby why he needs to brush his teeth and how to do it correctly. Visit the dentist. A visit to a specialist is important not only for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Modern dental offices and clinics have a lot of interesting educational materials, layouts and tools, including for the youngest patients. An experienced specialist will clearly explain to your child how and why they need to brush their teeth.
If your child refuses to brush their teeth, don't get discouraged or give up. Be patient and continue to try to involve your baby in this procedure. Try it different means hygiene, change brushes and pastes. Turn a boring process into interesting game, competition, use poetry, songs and nursery rhymes in teaching.
Not all parents know how to properly brush their children’s teeth, but The condition of the erupted permanent teeth depends on the quality of care for baby teeth.. To protect your child from problems with molars, incisors and canines, it is necessary to teach him to brush and rinse his mouth after the very first tooth erupts.
Features of the structure of milk teeth
Baby teeth form in the sixth week intrauterine development. Normally there are 20 of them:
- 8 molars;
- 8 incisors;
- 4 fangs.
Temporary teeth consist of the same tissues as permanent teeth:
- dentin (in temporary teeth it is softer and less mineralized);
- enamels;
- pulp.
However, primary incisors, canines and molars have features:
- low crowns;
- large distance between crowns;
- long thin roots that dissolve before the temporary tooth falls out and the permanent tooth erupts;
- thin enamel - only 1 mm;
- wide channels.
The structure of baby teeth is only slightly different from permanent teeth, so they no less need proper care. You can start brushing your child’s teeth after the very first incisor has erupted.. Early training in hygiene will be an excellent prevention against many dental diseases, which can affect the primary incisors, and then the permanent rudiments formed under them.
If you don’t care for your baby’s teeth or care for them incorrectly, your baby will have to visit pediatric dentists already in the first three years of life. Or maybe he can tolerate drilling rotten teeth with a bur, which is painful and unpleasant for small child even with high-quality anesthesia.
How to properly clean a baby's mouth
Immediately after being discharged from the hospital, you need to start wiping the newborn baby’s gums with a thick gauze swab dipped in water. You can also wet the tampon in:
- chamomile infusion, if the baby does not have constipation;
- bactericidal infusion of sage;
- St. John's wort decoction, as this plant strengthens the gums;
- anti-inflammatory decoction of calendula.
It is not recommended to use decoctions and infusions of herbs to treat the oral cavity of a baby more than 2-3 times a week, as their abuse can lead to allergic reactions.
Maintaining hygiene, which involves treating the oral mucosa with a gauze swab, is necessary for both newborns who are breastfed and those children who are fed artificial formula. Breast milk does not cleanse oral cavity, but pollutes it. If you do not sanitize your baby’s mouth after feeding, then pathogenic bacteria will begin to multiply in it, which can lead to infection of the tooth enamel.
At what age should a child start brushing his teeth?
You need to start brushing your baby's teeth from the moment they begin to erupt. At first, it is better to perform manipulations without paste, carefully treating not only the first tooth, but also the gum itself. You can use a special soft baby brush or a silicone pad that is placed on the parent’s finger. The last device will serve not only as a brush, but also as a gum massager, which will ease the pain from teething.
You should act carefully during the cleaning process, since the gums near the cutting tooth are inflamed and painful, so infants may react poorly to the hygiene procedure. But you can’t refuse it: it gets worse during teething. local immunity, therefore the risk of enamel infection increases.
More details about caring for the oral cavity of a newborn are described in the video:
How many times a day should children brush their teeth?
Both baby and molar teeth should be brushed twice a day.- in the morning and in the evening. Otherwise, under the influence of salts, acids and sugars found in food debris, caries will form on baby teeth, which will have to be treated by a dentist using professional instruments.
How to properly brush children's teeth
There are several general rules high-quality teeth cleaning depending on the age of the baby:
- A child under one year old should brush his teeth using a special silicone pad, which is fixed on the index finger or thumb parent.
- After a year, you can use a brush with silicone bristles and a special limiter, gradually switching to classic models.
- From the age of three, a regular brush with soft bristles is used. It is important that its surface is covered only by two dental crowns, otherwise the hygienic procedure will not be effective enough.
A baby brush needs to be changed every 3-4 months. If the service life has not yet expired, but the brush has already become rough around the edges, you should change it, since pathogenic bacteria can begin to form and multiply between the bristles.
How to brush the teeth of a child under 1 year old
Six months is the age when parents should start brushing their child’s teeth every day. From 6 to 12 months, children are cutting teeth, so during this period it is necessary to sanitize their oral cavity very carefully. The baby cannot yet take part in the hygiene procedure, but can already express his dissatisfaction with sounds and gestures, so the adult should focus not only on the dental cleaning technique, but also on the baby’s sensations.
How to properly brush your first teeth
Key cleaning rules:
There should be about 10–15 movements per tooth. During the procedure, it is necessary to clean not only the dental enamel, but also inner surface cheeks, tongue and gums. Also brush your teeth one year old child This can be done using special dental or dental wipes, which can be purchased at a pharmacy.
Why you need to teach your child to brush their teeth earlier than one year
You should start brushing your baby's baby teeth when the first incisor appears or even before it fully erupts. Complete oral care will help:
- form the correct bite;
- It is good to clean the oral cavity from cariogenic bacteria;
- prevent various diseases, including caries.
How to brush teeth for children over one year old
A child over 1 year old can purchase their first toothbrush with silicone bristles. It costs more than a regular one, but such a waste of money is justified: a brush with silicone bristles will not injure the child’s teeth and will help to thoroughly clean the gums and cheeks. You can use it to clean even your baby's first teeth. However, such brushes quickly become unsuitable for safe use, so they should not be used for a long time.
Rules for caring for a children's toothbrush with silicone bristles
In order for the silicone brush to last longer, you must follow the following rules for its operation:
- Do not boil or even simply pour boiling water over the brush;
- After each use, you should wash it with soap (baby, tar, laundry).
The brush should not be placed in a case; it should be stored in a closed cabinet, in a glass, separately from the brushes of adult family members.
Toothpastes for one-year-old children and infants
To start brushing children's teeth using toothpaste, it is not necessary to wait until the child is one or three years old. Most toothpastes are indicated for children over 2 years of age, however, there are a number of manufacturers whose product lines include good fluoride-free toothpastes suitable for children under one year of age. They are completely harmless and can be swallowed. Such products can be found among the brands:
- R.O.C.S.
- Elmex.
- Splat.
- Lacalut.
Each toothpaste indicates at what age it is approved for use - you need to brush your child’s teeth only with a product that is not contraindicated for him and is suitable for him. comprehensive care for children's teeth.
When starting to brush the teeth of a child under one year old using toothpaste, you need to monitor his reaction. Some babies may develop allergies, so at the first symptoms of a rash or an incomprehensible cough, you should stop using the paste and show your baby to a doctor.
Teeth brushing technique with toothpaste
You can start brushing your teeth with toothpaste when the child’s first incisor appears, the deadline is one and a half years. You shouldn’t wait until he develops caries due to lack of proper care.
Brushing procedure with toothpaste:
- a certain amount of paste is applied to a pre-moistened brush;
- the brush is brought at a right angle to the crowns;
- The tooth surface must be cleaned using sweeping movements: from the roots to the tops;
- The inner dental surface is cleaned with short movements, the brush is placed at an angle of 45 degrees;
- the cutting and chewing surfaces of the crowns are processed at the very end;
- after completing the procedure, you should rinse your mouth with water;
- The approximate duration of each cleaning is 2-3 minutes.
2–3 years old is the age when you need to start teaching your child to brush their teeth on their own.
Rinse aids for little ones
Manufacturers of mouthwashes do not recommend the use of such products for children under six years of age, as there is a high risk that the baby will swallow the mouthwash.
How to teach a child to brush their teeth
Many children under 1 year old, and sometimes older children, do not want to brush their teeth, expressing their dissatisfaction in every possible way. In this case, it is necessary to attract their attention to the hygiene procedure using one of the following methods:
- buy a bright brush with your favorite cartoon character and toothpaste with a pleasant fruity taste;
- invite your child to brush the teeth of his toys;
- brush your teeth with your child and compete with him in the quality and speed of brushing.
Each parent independently decides at what age to start brushing their child’s teeth and whether to use toothpaste, but delay can negatively affect the baby’s health. Parents should not only brush their children’s teeth, but also teach them how to properly care for their mouth on their own.
Dr. Komarovsky talks in more detail about children’s teeth, caring for them and teaching a child to brush:
Parents should pay due attention to the baby’s personal hygiene, including oral care. That is why the question of at what age children should brush their teeth should arise in moms and dads long before they start teething. And you shouldn’t think that baby teeth don’t need cleaning, because sooner or later they will change anyway. In fact, the health of molars largely depends on how well oral care was organized in early childhood.
When to start brushing your child's teeth
Some parents are of the opinion that cleaning is not necessary at all. In fact, they need to be cleaned and treated just as thoroughly as permanent ones, since insufficient and untimely care can lead to the formation of caries, and in particularly difficult cases - to pulpitis and periodontitis. Subsequently, all this negatively affects the formation permanent teeth.
So at what age do children have their teeth brushed? This should begin as early as possible, literally with the eruption of the first incisor. But the timing of the appearance of baby teeth varies from 4 to 10 months. After a year, fangs begin to erupt, and by the age of two, the baby already has a full set of teeth - as many as 20 pieces.
Basic hygiene, or oral care before teething
Many dentists recommend starting to care for your child’s oral cavity even before his or her first baby teeth begin to emerge. This is a good prevention of candidiasis, or thrush, and will also minimize inflammatory process when the teeth begin to erupt. So at what age do children have their teeth brushed?
Children begin to brush not their teeth, but their gums at about three months, that is, a couple of months before they begin to erupt. To do this, use a gauze swab. To clean the oral cavity, it is moistened in boiled water and immediately after eating, wipe the inner surface of the cheeks, gums and tongue. And about once a week, to prevent candidiasis and dental diseases, it is recommended to moisten a gauze swab in a weak soda solution.
Brushing your first teeth
The very first devices that parents use to clean newly erupted teeth are silicone finger pads. They are intended for massaging the gums during teething and for cleaning teeth before the introduction of the first complementary foods. Then another question arises: at what age can a child brush his teeth?
As soon as the baby begins to get acquainted with adult food, the first plaque forms on the enamel, which is food for caries and, accordingly, needs to be cleaned. Then you can buy your baby a brush. However, the brush can have silicone bristles and can also be worn on your finger. But it is still categorically not recommended to use the paste. For one year old baby It is enough to moisten the brush in boiled water and walk it over the surface of the teeth.
How to brush your teeth at 2 years old
When the child is fully introduced to complementary foods and begins to gradually move to the main table, the boiled water with which parents moisten the toothbrush will no longer cope with so much plaque and food debris. Here, the question of at what age to start brushing a child’s teeth should no longer be a question for parents. Two years is the deadline. And urgently and immediately. Otherwise, food debris that gets stuck between teeth that are tightly aligned in a row (and by this age there will already be 20 of them in the dentition) will become food for caries.
This is why you need to brush your teeth at 2 years old. special brush with toothpaste. Moreover, if a child has been accustomed since childhood to brush his gums, and then his teeth, twice a day, then for him the new duty will not become a big problem and he will only do it with pleasure.
So, the child is 2 years old, and the parents’ task at this moment is to introduce him to toothpaste and teach him how to use a brush correctly. But if the answer to the question at what age children brush their teeth no longer arises, then another controversial point follows. Which toothpaste should I buy for my child - with or without fluoride? Can the paste be used for adults?
A two-year-old child is only allowed to brush his teeth with a specialized children's toothpaste. Compared to adults, it contains fewer abrasive substances and has flavoring and aromatic additives. In addition, enzymes, casein, xylitol and calcium are added to children's toothpastes, which improve tooth structure and have a bactericidal effect. For children under 3 years of age, toothpastes that do not contain fluoride are produced. A child can even swallow them without harm to his health.
Technique
Technique proper cleaning is as follows:
- The procedure for brushing teeth in children is similar to that of adults. The brush is applied to the base of the teeth and is directed upward with sweeping movements. That is, cleaning occurs from the gums to the edges.
- Similar actions are repeated from the inside and outside, right and left. This method of “sweeping” is necessary to clean all the teeth. In this case, the pressure on the enamel should be minimal. It is important not to damage your teeth or gums when brushing.
- Chewing teeth should be brushed in a circular motion from above.
- During the cleaning process, do not forget about the tongue. It's being cleaned reverse side a toothbrush, which is designed just for this.
- To speed up the process you can use electric brushes. At what age should a child’s teeth be brushed with this device? From about three years old, before this age you shouldn’t even try.
Choosing a toothbrush
Another important point concerns the choice of toothbrush. The fact is that the brushes that adults use to brush their teeth are not suitable for children. There are special requirements for choosing this product for children:
- You should not buy brushes with natural bristles for your child. The fact is that it accumulates dangerous microorganisms and bacteria that simply cannot be removed with a stream of water. In addition, natural bristles are hard and can damage the baby’s delicate gums.
- A toothbrush should be selected according to the age of the baby. If he is not yet two years old, you can use finger pads to care for the enamel and tongue, which also do an excellent job of removing plaque.
- The size of the toothbrush head should be round and small in size. This will reduce the level of injury during enamel cleaning.
Many dentists recommend buying batteries that operate on batteries for cleaning your teeth. Their advantage is that plaque from the enamel and tongue is removed efficiently and quickly. The only drawback is that not all children perceive such brushes adequately. For some, vibration causes fear, and they categorically refuse cleaning.
At what age should a child brush his teeth: E. O. Komarovsky and his recommendations
The famous pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky gives his recommendations for brushing your teeth. He advises starting this process as early as possible, starting with the first tooth, and recommends using silicone onlays for this. But parents should not forget that all this should happen in the form of a game, that is, the child should like the process itself. This will allow us to further develop positive reaction duty of brushing teeth.
Also, parents should not forget at what age a child should brush his teeth. At a maximum of 2 years old, they should introduce him to brush and toothpaste. Moreover, if a child categorically refuses to fulfill such a duty, he should not be forced. If necessary, you can wait up to three years. The main thing is not to force anyone to brush their teeth. It would be better to use methods in education in which the child will have a desire to brush his teeth on his own, without pressure from his parents.
Pledge beautiful smile The health of an adult largely depends on how well oral care was organized at an early age. The following recommendations will help many parents avoid mistakes in the future:
- You should start teaching your child how to take care of the oral cavity as early as possible, namely at three months of age. Then there will be no unnecessary questions regarding the age at which a child should be taught to brush their teeth. Everything will happen gradually, just first the role of a brush will be played by a gauze swab and a silicone pad on the finger, and then by a toothbrush with paste.
- You should choose a high-quality paste, with a short shelf life and without fluorine in the composition.
- Preventative dental examinations should be performed twice a year. This will allow for timely detection of diseases and timely treatment of teeth, which will subsequently have a positive effect on the health of the entire oral cavity.
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Teething is one of the important periods in child development. When should you start brushing your child’s teeth, what toothpaste and brush should you choose? Many parents don’t even pay attention to brushing, not giving milk teeth the importance they deserve. Meanwhile, diseases of the oral cavity at an early age can adversely affect the formation of permanent teeth. In this article, we will look at when you need to start brushing your child’s teeth and how to care for them correctly.
Why do you need to care for baby teeth?
Although baby teeth are temporary, they should also be well cared for: brushed daily and treated promptly. Otherwise tooth enamel is destroyed and caries appears over time.
If an infection occurs, you may develop:
- pulpitis,
- inflammation,
- periodontitis.
The need to monitor oral hygiene increases if you like to please your child with sweets and cookies. This need grows stronger if the child’s diet contains a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Most parents think that breast-feeding, proper nutrition and the absence of sugar in the menu already guarantee healthy and strong teeth. However, this is not at all true. Few people know about the harm that vegetable and fruit acids cause. As it turns out, your favorite fruits and some types of vegetables contain a lot of sugar and acids, which have a detrimental effect on enamel. For this reason, it is recommended to give your baby at least a drink of water after consuming these products.
We brush our teeth correctly!
Pediatric dentists strongly recommend starting to brush their teeth from the very first eruption. It is necessary to wipe the first teeth after feeding with gauze. All food debris is removed and the risk of plaque is reduced. The bottle with pacifier must be removed immediately after the baby has eaten.
The answer to the question at what age should a child brush his teeth with toothpaste is approximately from 10-11 months you can already use a special baby paste for children. Cleaning without toothpaste is ineffective and may leave bristles on the enamel. small scratches. Timely use of toothpaste can save you from caries or slow down its development.
Most parents are wary of toothpastes, considering them “chemicals.” But in in this case the benefit outweighs the harm. When purchasing, you should carefully study the composition. Perfect for little ones: Weleda teeth gel, R.O.C.S. Pro Baby for the little ones, Xlear Inc (Xclear) Kids Spry tooth gel with xylitol. They are reasonably safe if accidentally ingested. 
Children's toothpaste with organic raspberry extract NATURA SIBERICA from 2-3 years, as it still contains Sodium Coco-Sulfate (a relative of SLS) and Sodium Benzoate." 
One more important point is the amount of toothpaste needed to brush your teeth. The “pea-sized” dosage is familiar to everyone from childhood, but for children this is too much. The recommended dose should be no more than a grain of rice. For children who do not yet know how to rinse their mouth normally, this is enough.
To thoroughly clean the surface of the teeth, you need to move the brush from the gums towards the edges of the teeth. In this case, the lower row of teeth should be brushed from bottom to top, and the upper row from top to bottom. The gums also need to be gently massaged with rotational movements. This improves blood circulation and strengthens the gums. Brushing movements should be light and without pressure, otherwise the gums will be damaged and the enamel will be worn away.
It is also necessary to remove plaque from the tongue. This can be done by wrapping gauze around your finger or using a tool on a brush.
Which brush to choose
It is necessary to say a few words about the choice of brush.
- Up to a year You should give preference to brushes with silicone bristles. In children's stores you can even find special fingertips that are ideal for cleaning the first teeth.
- After a year You can switch to soft bristles. Again, toothbrushes from R.O.C.S. are perfect.
Maximkin set. 
Many kids categorically refuse to brush their teeth. In this case great importance has parental behavior. It is strictly forbidden to scold a child and force him to clean it forcibly, in this way you can completely interrupt his interest.
Tell your child why they need to brush their teeth. Read fairy tales on this topic and watch corresponding cartoons, for example, “Queen Toothbrush”, “Three Cats”.
In 2014, this organization updated dental recommendations. The innovations concern the following points:
It is allowed to use toothpastes containing fluoride from the moment the first teeth erupt. Previously, fluoride-containing toothpastes were not recommended for children under 3 years of age.
The required dosage of toothpaste should not exceed a grain of rice, and after 3 years, a pea.
The last point is quite controversial. Many doctors do not agree with this and argue that regular brushing with fluoride paste is enough to ensure sufficient mineralization of teeth.
Baby teeth are also important. If you suddenly notice caries, do not leave things to chance and contact pediatric dentist. Children's teeth should be brushed as soon as they appear. Do this playfully with your baby to awaken his interest in this process.
The key to success when communicating with others is a healthy smile. Therefore, daily oral care is simply necessary. And not just because healthy white teeth are beautiful. Their illnesses can cause illness and internal organs. That is why it is necessary to start caring from the very first baby tooth. It is important not only when to start brushing your baby’s teeth, but also how to do it correctly.
Why should a baby brush his teeth?
Many parents when answering the question When starting to brush a child’s teeth, people still mistakenly believe that baby teeth do not need care. They will fall out anyway and in their place permanent ones will grow, which need to be monitored as closely as possible. But this misconception is very dangerous for a number of reasons:
Brushing baby teeth for children is especially important because:
- they are not only constant correct height provide, but also form the correct bite;
- they are directly involved in the formation of the bones of the skull and, consequently, the face;
- If you don't brush your teeth, bacteria from food can enter your stomach and cause serious illnesses;
- improper and inconsistent care of baby teeth can cause the development of caries on permanent teeth;
- You can instill in your child a sense of neatness and respect for health.
When parents understand the importance of the process, they begin to worry about another question - when to start? There is only one answer to this question - when does the first tooth appear?.
Although during teething the child’s immunity is weakened. And microcracks form in the gums, through which infection can occur.
But many dentists agree that it is necessary to care for the oral cavity from an early age, before teeth appear. This is due to the fact that microorganisms and bacteria enter the child’s mouth with food and accumulate there. In addition, the manipulations carried out will quickly accustom the child to necessary procedure brushing teeth. Yes, and gums due to daily massage will be more prepared for teething. Therefore, the most suitable age is 3-4 months.
How to properly brush a one-year-old child's teeth?
At one year old, your baby can already be asked to use a baby brush with a long handle for cleaning. But parents don’t all know how to brush their one-year-old child’s teeth correctly. Because of this, thin tooth enamel can be damaged and caries can begin.
The cleaning procedure must be carried out very gently so as not to damage the enamel. But at the same time carefully to prevent the accumulation of bacteria that cause caries.
Some tips for parents on how to brush their one-year-old child’s teeth:
Products that help with oral care
Once you have decided how to brush your children’s teeth and when to start, it’s time to choose the necessary products. When a baby has no teeth, then he doesn’t need a toothbrush. But, as we have already found out, it is necessary to take care of your oral cavity. Mothers use different means:
Additionally, you can use a special baby paste with the brush. For babies who have not yet been introduced to complementary foods, you need to choose a gel-like paste that has a light milky or neutral taste.
For children, who have already tried complementary You can use a special fruit-flavored paste.
Parents are often interested in the question of at what age should they brush their child’s teeth with a toothbrush. After all, the choice of toothbrush depends not only on the presence of teeth, but also on age:
Electric toothbrushes are especially popular with children. This is very good, because they clean the oral cavity effectively. And for children too once again no need to remind. But it is worth remembering that this is an electric mechanism and requires careful handling. Therefore, children under 5-6 years old should not buy such gadgets.
When choosing a children's toothbrush, you need to pay attention not only to quality and safety, but also to convenience. Until 3-4 years old, it should be comfortable to hold not for a child, but for an adult. After all, it is dad or mom who will brush the baby’s first teeth. You can buy your child a separate brush for training. It is worth remembering that a child is not able to carry out the procedure efficiently.
It is undoubtedly important for children appearance brushes. When choosing, parents should pay attention to the brush head and bristles. The latter should be smooth and moderately soft, take its original position when pressed. The plastic part of the brush should not have any jagged edges.
Even if the manufacturer writes the opposite, you need to change your toothbrush at least once every two months. It must be stored dry and open.
But how to properly brush children's teeth without toothpaste?? Of course, all parents want to reduce the amount of chemicals that enter the baby’s body. But toothpaste is not something you can give up. After all, a brush without toothpaste is ineffective. And it can even harm the enamel. This means that if you can’t be there, you need to learn to choose the least dangerous one.
The most important thing when choosing a toothpaste is its composition. It should not contain sodium lauryl sulfate, phosphates, dyes, parabens, fragrances and antiseptics. It is better to choose a drug for the little ones. It is safe to swallow and does not contain harmful substances. The packaging may be marked 0+.
The amount of toothpaste is also important. A pea-sized amount is suitable for preschoolers. But if the child does not yet know how to rinse his mouth, then it is recommended that he eat no more than a grain of rice.
How to teach a child to brush his teeth on his own?
At about a year old, babies show interest and try to brush their teeth on their own. Do the procedure without outside help maybe by two years. Most the right way teach child hygiene - own example. Therefore, it is better to go to the bathroom with your child.
Another assistant in mastering the skill is a mirror. Children love to look at themselves in reflection. And the child will be able to control his movements independently.
For the little ones, you can choose a nursery rhyme, song or counting rhyme. You can come up with a game in which the brush will act as a teeth saver. Or take your favorite toy with you, who will also need to brush her teeth.
To practice and consolidate the skill, you can organize an intra-family speed competition. Whoever copes with cleaning faster wins. Needless to say, it’s better for parents to give in.
If your child won't let you brush your teeth
Some children are afraid of this hygiene procedure. This may happen due to starting training too late. The question is, when should you start brushing your child’s teeth?, has already been decided. Or he is simply not interested in this event.
But force little man is fraught with even greater complications. You need to get used to brushing your teeth correctly:
- turn the procedure into a game. It’s possible even with competitive elements.
- Tell your child about the consequences of not brushing your teeth. You can come up with a fairy tale.
- Organize a trip to the dentist and show sick and healthy teeth on mock-ups.
- Let the child choose his own toothbrush and toothpaste, and you will only help him with this.
- You can find a cartoon on this topic.
How else can you protect your child's teeth?
The main enemy for children's, and not only, teeth is sugar. Once in the mouth, it begins to destroy the enamel. It can recover within a few hours. But if the baby constantly eats something sweet, then she doesn’t have time.
Therefore, it is also necessary to eat sweets at a certain time. It is advisable that the break be several hours. The ideal option is to give sweetness after eating.
For snacks, give preference to vegetables or cheese.
To save healthy teeth Some rules must be followed:
- give as a drink to very young children breast milk or mixture and boiled chilled water;
- You should not get carried away with sweet juices and carbonated drinks, as they contain a lot of sugar;
- from the age of 6 months, you can start your baby drinking from a glass, and at the age of one year, try to wean him off bottles and pacifiers;
- With early childhood needs to be taught to be balanced healthy eating. For encouragement it is better to choose healthy vegetables or fruits instead of sweets;
- It is better to choose ready-made baby purees without sugar content. When preparing, also try to reduce its use;
- sugar substitutes such as glucose and fructose are also harmful to teeth;
- when choosing medications, it is better to give preference those included which have no sugar.
“Cleanliness is the key to health”. And especially the cleanliness of teeth. Therefore, you should not be lazy and teach your child to brush their teeth correctly and regularly. It is important to visit the dentist at least 1-2 times a year. This is a must after changing teeth.
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