Your child’s dental health is important. To maintain good dental health, it’s also important to make sure that your child is developing good oral hygiene habits early on. While regular pediatric dental checkups will assist in maintaining healthy teeth, proper daily home care is equally essential. To protect your child’s oral health, take note of our pediatric tooth brushing tips below, and then make your child’s next pediatric dentistry appointment with Dr. Dunson at Southridge Dental today. Southridge Dental is the trusted family-friendly dental practice of Denton, TX. Dr. Dunson and his experienced team proudly serve families throughout North Dallas, Lewisville, Frisco, Plano, Richardson, Flower Mound, The Colony, and the surrounding north DFW communities.
Excellent oral hygiene starts before your child even gets their first tooth. Whether you choose to nurse or bottle feed your baby, you should begin incorporating a dental hygiene regimen as soon as possible. Before your baby’s teeth erupt, you can wipe away milk residue after feedings with gauze or a soft, wet washcloth. Once their baby teeth come in, it’s important to purchase a toothbrush designed specifically for babies and toddlers. You should also make sure your child has their first dental visit by the time they turn one. Dr. Dunson can keep your child’s teeth healthy by removing plaque buildup and applying dental sealants and fluoride treatments. Regular pediatric dentistry appointments will prevent harmful bacteria from causing dental diseases like tooth decay and gum disease.
Pediatric Tooth Brushing Tips
- Always provide fluoride toothpaste
- For children under age 3, use toothpaste that’s about the size of a grain of rice
- For children ages 3-6, only use a pea-sized dab of toothpaste; use slightly more for older children
- Remind your child to always spit out excess toothpaste
- Teach your child to place the toothbrush at an angle against the gums as they brush
- Remind them to move the brush back and forth, gently, in brief strokes
- Teach them to always brush the front, back, and top of their teeth
- Remind them to always brush their tongue to remove germs and maintain fresh breath
Be proactive with your child’s dental health. Make an appointment for your child with the pediatric dentistry experts at Southridge Dental today. Dr. Dunson is a trusted Denton family dentist. Southridge Dental proudly restores smiles daily throughout Denton, TX, North Dallas, Lewisville, Frisco, Plano, Richardson, Flower Mound, The Colony, and nearby Dallas/ Fort Worth cities.
Your kids deserve to have healthy, happy mouths. In fact, we all do. Kids do especially simply because their mouths are still developing and are more prone to developing a disease than others. Teaching kids how to practice great dental hygiene isn’t difficult, but it does take some time and patience. They need to understand the “why” of practicing good dental hygiene. They’ll thank you for it when they’re all grown up and have kids of their own.