Good Oral Hygiene In Children: What Can You Do?

Promoting good oral hygiene in children is extremely important because the future health of their teeth depends on it. Children can also develop cavities as a result of caries.

The best way to combat this problem is prevention by instilling good oral hygiene habits from childhood. Do you want to know how to take care of oral hygiene in children? Then keep reading!

What is good oral hygiene in children?

Taking care of your children’s teeth is much more than preventing the teeth from turning yellow. Although this is a common aesthetic problem, good oral hygiene in children involves much more than having shiny white teeth.

When we talk about keeping their mouths clean, we’re talking about teeth and molars, but also about the cheeks and tongue. A healthy mouth has:

• healthy and white teeth, without food residues or the presence of plaque and/or tartar.
• pink gums that don’t bleed or hurt when you brush your teeth.
• a fresh breath.

What do children need to take good care of their teeth at home? Should you buy more than just a good toothbrush and toothpaste? We will discuss that below.

Children’s Oral Hygiene Supplies

Dentists recommend that as adults we should brush, floss and use mouthwash at least twice a day. However, what about children? Let’s see what they need to keep their mouths clean and healthy.

• Toothbrush : It should be age appropriate. You can ask your trusted dentist what kind of bristles are best for your little one. It is also important that children learn to brush their teeth manually, even if they have an electric toothbrush.
• Toothpaste : Choose a toothpaste that is appropriate for your child’s age. Also, talk to your dentist about the best brand and whether the toothpaste should contain fluoride.
• Dental floss : we recommend using dental floss with assistance for children over 4 years old. Around age 8 or 9, they are ready to do it themselves.

Tips for oral hygiene in children

Good oral hygiene in children means prevention! Of course, the first step for our little ones to have healthy white teeth is to take good care of their teeth before they get into trouble. For this it is important to follow the tips that we will mention below.

1. Start brushing your teeth at a young age

We often think that oral hygiene in children only refers to brushing teeth, but that is not true. For this reason, it is important to take care of your children’s mouths from the moment they are born. That way you can prevent them from developing tooth decay from bottle or breast milk.

• Clean their gums daily with a piece of gauze.
• Gently brush your little one’s teeth as they come through.

2. Brush your teeth at least twice a day

Ideally, children should brush three times a day: after breakfast, after lunch and after dinner. Brushing properly means, among other things:

• Put a small amount of toothpaste on the brush. It should not be larger than a pea.
• First, brush the inside of the teeth, one at a time. Remember, angle the brush against the teeth to brush where the teeth and gums meet.
• Clean the outside of the teeth one at a time. Keep brushing diagonally.
• Brush the top of the teeth, one at a time. Pay particular attention to the back molars.

• Finally, don’t forget to brush the tongue as well.
• If your children are older than four, you can start flossing. Make sure you don’t damage their gums. Be patient as it will probably be difficult at first.

3. Avoid excess sugars

Children can of course eat sweets, but in moderation. Sweets and their remains then stick to their teeth. If kids don’t brush their teeth properly on a regular basis, that sugar can damage their teeth and cause cavities.

4. Eat a Balanced Diet

Healthy food is not only good for health, but also for oral health. Add foods rich in calcium, phosphorus and fluorine to your children’s diet so that they have strong and healthy teeth!

5. Choose water as the favorite drink

Drinking sugary drinks very regularly can damage children’s teeth. Imagine that your child does not brush his teeth after drinking a glass of juice or lemonade. Those sugars stay in their mouths and can then cause various problems.

6. Visit the dentist every year

Children should visit the dentist at least once a year. Take advantage of that moment to talk to the dentist and your child(ren) about how to best care for your child’s teeth.

Finally, oral hygiene in children is essential, not only for the present but also for the future. If you have any questions about brushing your teeth, please contact your dentist. No one can advise you better than this specialist.