When Should Kids Start Brushing Their Teeth? Probably sooner than you might think!
Providing quality dental care is an important part of helping your children have healthy teeth and gums, including when they are still infants and haven’t got any baby teeth yet. Interesting fact about baby teeth: Teeth begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy. When children are born, they have 20 primary teeth, some of which are fully developed under their gums.
Here are some ways to help with your children’s teeth:
· Even if your infant hasn’t gone through teething yet, they still have gums you need to take care of. Run a clean, damp washcloth over their gums to clear away any harmful bacteria. This also helps them become accustomed to oral health care at a very young age.
· Once your baby gets teeth, brush them with an infant toothbrush. Use water and a tiny bit of fluoride-free toothpaste. When your child is too young to spit after a tooth brushing, you will want to keep the amount of toothpaste you use at a minimum to prevent them swallowing much.
· Once your baby's teeth touch, you can begin flossing in between them.
· Around age 2, your child should learn to spit after brushing. Avoid giving your child water to spit because this might make swallowing toothpaste more likely.
· Kids ages 3 and up should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
· Even if your child is brushing their own teeth without your assistance, always supervise a kid younger than 8 while brushing, as they are more likely to swallow toothpaste. They are also more inclined to get distracted and miss teeth while flossing and brushing.
When Should Kids See a Dentist?
Here at Meridian Campus Family Dental, we recommend your child be seen by their first birthday. At this first visit, Dr. Carpenter will explain proper brushing and flossing techniques to help prevent damage to your child’s teeth and gums.
These visits will also help find any possible problems early and assist kids in getting used to visiting with Dr. Carpenter, so they'll have less fear about dentist visits as they get older. We specialize in treating kids. Contact us and make an appointment so we can help your children have healthier teeth and gums.