I introduced Guinevere to her first toothbrush when she was about 6months old. That was also the same time when her first milk tooth started to sprout. The advise was given by the local Mother and Child Health Clinic during one of her routine check ups. The rational was simple. By instilling good dental habits at a young age, teaches our children to practise good dental hygiene which will not only keep their pearly whites in tip top condition, but also to save on those dreaded toothache trips to the dentist.
Dental care is one of the simple early steps of personal hygiene which can be introduce to our children.
As early as six months, babies are able to take in solid foods in addition to their regular intake of milk. By this time, you probably have already introduced oral hygiene to your little one by cleaning his gums with a wet washcloth. However, when your baby turns into a toddler, it is time to switch from the good old washcloth to the more efficient soft-bristled toothbrush when it comes to cleaning your toddler’s teeth.
Toddlers may not be able to properly clean their teeth yet, so it is the task of the parents to make sure they clean their teeth well by doing the brushing for them. Since brushing one’s teeth can be more of a chore for a small toddler, it is important that parents make the activity fun and interesting.
In order for your toddler to fully understand the importance of good oral hygiene, you as a parent need to set an example. Brush your teeth together and demonstrate to your tot the up-and-down and side-by-side motion of brushing. Make the activity as pleasurable as possible by singing songs about tooth brushing. You can even turn tooth brushing into a game. The one who gets the cleanest mouth (read: the one who brushes longer) wins. The idea of tooth brushing is to get rid of plaque on your toddler’s teeth and remove all traces of food on his mouth and tongue.
When it comes to choosing the toothpaste for toddlers, some parents go for the non-fluoride toothpaste. Non-fluoride toothpaste is recommended for toddlers who do not know how to properly spit yet. If your toddler is using toothpaste with fluoride, put only a pea-sized amount on his toothbrush and make sure that he spits it and rinses his mouth well with water. If your toddler uses too much fluoride, he can get fluorosis or white spots on his adult teeth.
Good dental habits can start as soon as your child gets his first set of teeth. Teaching our toddler the proper way of brushing his teeth by making the activity fun but educational. Make tooth brushing, an essential part of toddler care, a habit for your little one.