Toothbrushing and Dental Visits – Oral Care for Children (Part 2)

Welcome back, daddies and mummies. Hoping to find out more about oral care tips (like toothbrushing) for your little ones to keep their teeth sparkly clean and strong? You are at the right place then! In the following section, we will be discussing about good dental habits in children. Since this topic itself is broad, we will cover diet in relation to oral health in another article. If you also wish to learn more about teething and pacifiers, you can click HERE.

Oral Cleaning and Toothbrushing in Kids

Good habits should start early. Therefore, start your child on an oral cleaning routine even before the first baby tooth appears. Since your baby is toothless, you can clean your baby’s gums and tongue with a clean damp cloth twice a day (the same frequency as toothbrushing). [1]

Noticed your child’s first tooth has emerged? That’s an important milestone. Let us share some must-know toothbrushing information with you.

• Start brushing your child’s teeth twice daily once your child’s first baby tooth has appeared. [2] Yes, that early!
• Brush once before bedtime at night and once during another time [3].
• Use a soft baby toothbrush and children’s fluoridated toothpaste. [2,3]
  

  

  

• When using a manual brush, brush in circular motion around the gum line. [1]
  

  

• Brush for at least 2 minutes. A timer will be handy to keep track of the time. [1]
• Continue to help and supervise your child during toothbrushing until he/she is about 7 to 8 years old, which is the time most children learn to tie their own shoelaces. This is to ensure all teeth surfaces are cleaned thoroughly. [1,3,9] We want children to have better manual dexterity before they brush their teeth independently.

Use toothpaste in babies? Yes, there’s a strong reason for doing so!

We understand that some parents are uncomfortable using toothpaste for their babies as they are worried that their babies might inadvertently swallow toothpaste. (After all, babies don’t know how to spit out toothpaste after toothbrushing). For this reason, these parents completely avoid using toothpaste or switch to a non-fluoridated toothpaste when brushing their babies’ teeth. However, if fluoridated toothpaste is not used, your baby is missing out on a crucial component to have a healthy set of teeth- fluoride.

Fluoride – The Misunderstood Tooth Hero

Fluoride is an important mineral which strengthens teeth and reduces risk of tooth decay (caries). [4] However, there are still parents who shun fluoride thinking that fluoride is harmful to their children’s health. [5] Theories linking fluoride to cancer and learning disability have been debunked in various research studies. [6,7] The American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) also affirms the safeness and effectiveness of fluoride in preventing caries. [8] Parents, hopefully you are less fearful of this mineral after reading the above.

Now that we have cleared the doubts surrounding fluoride, you might ask how much toothpaste should children use. You can refer to the table below then. Instead of following the age recommendation written on the toothpaste packaging, you should check the toothpaste’s fluoride concentration under the ingredients section. This is because some kids’ toothpastes may have fluoride concentration less than the recommended 1000ppm.

Recommended fluoride concentration and toothpaste amount for children [9]

The concern parents have in regards to their children swallowing toothpaste is totally valid. However, instead of completely avoiding toothpaste, parents can control the amount of toothpaste their children use. This is why only a smear layer of toothpaste is used for children younger than 3 years old to avoid ingestion of excess toothpaste by the baby. [9]

Some toddlers might find kids toothpaste tasty, especially those with fruity flavours. Therefore, make sure your toddler doesn’t intentionally swallow the toothpaste after toothbrushing. Excess fluoride ingestion over a long period during teeth development can lead to dental fluorosis. [4,10] Dental fluorosis is a dental condition where the adult teeth have white spots or lines, which may be unsightly. [10] After toothbrushing, instruct your child to spit out the toothpaste without rinsing or only rinsing a little so that fluoride from the toothpaste stays longer on the teeth to strengthen them more. [1,2]

Flossing

Do not forget the good old floss! Start your child on flossing if their teeth are too close together for a toothbrush to clean between them. Similar to toothbrushing, parents should help floss their child’s teeth once daily until they are able to do so independently. [1]

Dental Visits

As parents, you would have done your best to ensure your child has a healthy set of teeth. Yet, it is also important for your child to be seen by a dental professional within six months after his/her first tooth has erupted and by 12 months of age. [3]

That early? Oh yes! This is because a dentist or paediatric dentist will work hand in hand with you to help your child achieve good oral health. A dental professional will conduct a dental examination for your child, which includes checking for any tooth decay and unhealthy gums. If necessary, dental treatment will then be carried out. [11]

No more dental visits once dental treatment is complete, right? No, it doesn’t end there. You should still bring your child for regular dental visits.

Besides checking your child’s mouth, a dentist or paediatric dentist will assess your child’s risk of getting tooth decay. This determines the frequency of dental visits and the types of dental preventive treatments recommended for your child to prevent tooth decay. [12] Furthermore, a dental professional will provide oral hygiene instructions, dietary advice in relation to oral health, and oral habits counselling to both the child and parents. [11] Being placed under home and professional oral care, your child is set to embark on a journey towards a healthy smile!

Alright, we have covered the importance of oral hygiene and early dental visits. We are not done yet though. There’s still one more topic- diet, which we think will be beneficial to you too. Hop over to this article now about healthy dietary habits for child!