How Should I Look After My Young Children’s Teeth?

It’s natural for a parent to worry about how to best look after their children’s teeth.  As a dentist and a father of two young children, I’ve been mentally compiling a list of questions from many worried parents and answers from reputable sources.  We get so many questions related to children’s teeth that I’ll be continuing this article in the future. 

Here is a list of 5 ways you can help ensure a healthy start for your children’s teeth: 

1. Family culture:  My first piece of advice is it make good oral hygiene habits part of your family culture; when children see that their parents brush twice a day – or maybe three times if they are at home for lunch – the children take this on as just something that ‘we do’.  Like many things, this is simple but not easy as we are all in a rush in the morning, but it can be done and in my opinion makes a profound difference.  In the same way that “We don’t hit each other”, “We say please and thank you” become part of your family culture so can “We brush (and floss) twice a day”.  

2.  Make it fun!  Having your young children see you brush your teeth helps.  Having your young children see you brush with a smile really helps.  I’ve heard parents really sing the praises of this simple change.  When children see you happily brushing your children will want to take your brush and start themselves.  Sing a song while brushing!  Do a dance!  Whatever you like just ensure your children see you brushing and enjoying it.

3. Minimal Toothpaste: Ignore the big stripe of toothpaste on the commercials; we really don’t need much toothpaste.  It’s great tasting, improves the feel of the brushing process, improves our breath and in almost all cases contains a small amount of fluoride to help strengthen areas of teeth that our diets and habits have allowed to become weaker.  I just dip the tips of the bristles in the paste and it foams up nicely.  Less to swallow, less to worry about.  The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (1) recommends a ‘rice’ sized amount up to 3 yrs and a pea sized amount thereafter.  

4. Daddy/mommy brushes first:  Children – and adults – have limited attention spans.  Seize the moment and get the most decay-prone areas clean first because your child will soon want to be finished.  What areas?  Back teeth.  Commit to cleaning the biting surfaces of all back teeth, top, bottom, left and right for about a quarter of the time that your child could last tolerate you brushing.  By cleaning the back teeth first, then having the child ‘bite’ and brushing the outside all around you’ll have done the lion’s share of the cleaning.  Then hand over the brush to Timmy to have fun.  

5. Rinse / Spit:  Children are notorious for swallowing toothpaste and mouthwash.  However, even my 20 month old can rinse and spit fairly well.  How?  I demonstrate rinsing and spitting.  He finds it hilarious to watch me spit into the sink so he tries to copy me.  He’s not ready to spit across the room yet, but he’s getting there.  If you’re using a small amount of toothpaste there’s less to worry about with regards to swallowing.  The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists now recommends using a tiny amount of regular toothpaste for children of all ages (1,2).  

Next month we’ll continue to explore the topic of children’s teeth.  It’s my hope that with more accurate, science-based, peer-reviewed information we can help ensure that our children grow up without the most common childhood infection – cavities (3). 

Please feel free to share this or any Dental Health Matters article and if you have any questions, please feel free to email the office at Doodes@ParkBlvdDentistry.com.  Who knows, maybe your question will be the subject of another edition!

References: 

1. AAP Recommends Fluoride to Prevent Dental Caries – August 24th 2014. 
2. Fluoride Use in Caries Prevention in the Primary Care Setting, Melinda B. Clark, MD et al. American Academy of Pediatrics. Pg 626
3. US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health; 2000

© Paul Doodes.  All rights reserved.