Teaching Kids to Brush Their Teeth and Floss Correctly
Worried that your kids aren't brushing and flossing the correct way? Follow these 4 tips to make sure your child is developing good oral care habits.
Show Kids That Brushing Their Teeth Takes Time
- Minimum recommended time for brushing teeth is 2 minutes, according to most dentists.
- Set a timer or play a song to make sure they brush long enough.
Go Over the Basics of Brushing Teeth
- Brush every tooth, every time.
- Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle gently against the gum line.
- Brush from the base of the tooth to the chewing surface.
- Use short, round strokes for the front and back of teeth.
- Use short, sweeping strokes for the chewing surfaces.
- Be consistent in brushing across each tooth.
- Brush the tongue and roof of the mouth from back to front.
Teach the Finer Points of Flossing
- Floss once daily to remove particles between teeth.
- Start flossing your child's teeth once the teeth are too close together for the bristle of a toothbrush to easily fit between them.
- Correctly hold the floss by winding about 18 inches of floss around the middle fingers of each hand. Pinch the floss between the thumb and index finger.
- Gently insert the floss between two teeth using a back and forth motion. Curve the floss around each tooth in a C shape and move it up and down each tooth.
- Use a clean piece of floss for each tooth.
Change Their Toothbrushes
- Change your child's toothbrushes 3 to 4 times a year.
- Let them pick brushes featuring their favorite characters.
- Try fun, kid-friendly flavors of toothpaste.
- Pick brushes made just for kids with soft bristles and wider handles made for little hands.
