Cleaning Teeth

 

Young children are not able to clean their own teeth. As a parent, you must do it for them when they are very young and do it with them, as they get older.

When your child can write (not print) his or her name, your child is ready to do a good job brushing. You should check to make sure your child does a good job.

How To Brush

- Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth. Point the bristles to where the gums and teeth meet.

- Use gentle circles. Do not scrub. Clean every surface of every tooth. For the front teeth, use the "toe" or front part of the brush.

The key word is gentle. You can hurt the gums by brushing too hard.

Tooth Brushes

The best kind of brush is soft, with rounded bristles. It should be the right size for your child’s mouth. You will need to buy a new toothbrush at least every 3 or 4 months.
Children can be hard on toothbrushes. If the bristles get bent or worn down, they will not do a good job, and may hurt your child's gums.

Toothpaste

Make sure the toothpaste has fluoride. Check the box or tube for the symbol of the Canadian Dental Association. This means the toothpaste has fluoride. Use only a bit of toothpaste, about the size of a pea, and make sure your child spits it out.

How to Floss

- Take a piece of floss about as long as your child's arm. Wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches between the hands. Use your index fingers to guide the floss between the teeth.

- Slide the floss between the teeth and wrap it into a "C" shape. It should wrap around the base of the tooth, where the tooth meets the gum.

- Wipe the tooth from bottom to top 2 or 3 times, or more, until it is squeaky clean.

- Be sure you floss both sides of each tooth, and don’t forget the backs of the last molars.

- Move to a new part of the floss as you move from tooth to tooth.

- For a better cleaning, floss before brushing.

Should my child always brush right before bed?

Yes. If you don't get rid of the germs (bacteria) and sugars that cause cavities, they have all night to do their dirty work. Plus, when your child is asleep, he or she does not produce as much spit (or saliva). Saliva helps keep the mouth clean. So brushing at bedtime is very important.