The best time to learn about the benefits of good dental hygiene is early in one’s life. It helps build a foundation of good habits that become well ingrained. This is why it’s important to teach your children how to brush and floss their teeth.
If not, they will fail to build a positive dental regimen leading to many health concerns.
The following is what you can teach your children about good oral hygiene.
Go Over The Basics
The basics should be established as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than hoping they’ll learn on their own. It’s important to set a roadmap for them to follow and that begins with the basics.
What should you be teaching them?
- Brush Twice A Day (Morning and Night)
- Make Sure To Reach Each Tooth
- Use 45-Degree Angle While Brushing Their Teeth
- Brush From Base to Top For Each Tooth
- Apply Consistent Pressure On Each Tooth
- Make Sure To Brush Roof and Tongue From Back To Front
- Flossing is necessary
- Use a fluoridated toothpaste
Set the foundation early is important. It ensures children know what to incorporate into their daily routine. Without appropriate guidance, a child can become prone to bad habits where steps are missed or ignored. Put in the time to work with them and make adjustments as necessary. A child will not learn on his/her own.
Demonstrate The “Right Way”
There are a right way and a wrong way for brushing one’s teeth. Children might assume as long as they’re getting up to brush, they’re doing what’s necessary to clean their teeth. However, this is incorrect as mistakes can be made even if one is brushing their teeth.
Adults are responsible for guiding children down the right path. Teach them the right way, as it will help instill healthy habits early in their lives.
The first thing to teach them is time management. Children have a boatload of energy, and it’s important to reel them in when it comes to brushing their teeth. You have to let them know the value of brushing their teeth for one to two minutes. This is the only way they’ll be able to get those “hard to reach” areas. Most children have the habit of brushing their teeth for 20-30 seconds before moving on with their routine. Make sure to let them know the minimum recommended time and why it’s mandatory.
So, how do you go about doing this?
You can use a few methods that are well regarded for being effective. You can either teach them a little song that’s two minutes long. This way they can sing the song or hum it while brushing their teeth. Once the song is over, they’ll know two minutes have passed, and they’re good to go. Another option is setting a simple timer for them that’s two minutes long. If you do this, they will know exactly how long to brush their teeth before moving onto the next step.
Equip Them With New Toothbrushes
The right equipment is essential with any dental regimen.
This is why it’s important to equip them with new toothbrushes on a regular basis. To make it fun, you can find toothbrushes with cartoons drawn on them as a way for the child to connect with their brush.
Teach The Finer Points of Flossing
It’s wonderful to say “flossing is important” but the real value is in teaching your child those finer points they need to know.
- Floss Daily To Remove Particles In Crevices Of Teeth
- Insert Floss Between Two Teeth With Back And Forth Motion
- Always Use Clean Floss For Each Tooth
- Don’t Ignore Hard To Reach Areas While Flossing
These are foundational points for a child to know when it comes to flossing. Continue to work with them in building a solid foundation, and you’ll see them latch onto this information each morning. Flossing is vital, and it shouldn’t be discarded as an optional part of one’s dental regimen. It is equally important to brush your teeth twice a day.
These are the tips to look into while teaching your child how to brush and floss their teeth. It will take time but continue to work hard with them while they learn the nuances.
