Once
your child's teeth begin erupting, you can begin cleaning them
by wiping them with a moist washcloth. As your child gets more
teeth, you can begin to use a soft child's toothbrush. You should
use just a pea-size amount of a fluoride toothpaste or a non-fluoride
toothpaste (like Baby OraGel) until your child is able to spit
it out (too much fluoride can stain their teeth).
For
most toddlers, getting them to brush their teeth can be quite
a challenge.
Some
suggestions
for
making
tooth
brushing
less
of
a battle
can
include:
- letting
him
brush
your
teeth
at
the
same
time
- letting
him
pick
out
a few
toothbrushes
with
his
favorite
characters
and
giving
him
a choice
of
which
one
he
wants to
use
each
time
(this
will
give
him
some
feeling
of
control
over
the
situation)
- let
him
brush
his
own
teeth
first
(you
will
likely
have
to
also
do
it
yourself
though).
Other
tips can
include
getting
a dentist
kit that
he can
play with
or read
some children's
books about
tooth brushing.
Or
have everyone
brush their
teeth at
the same
time and
have 'races,'
or just
letting
him observe
that you
brush your
teeth too
can be
helpful.
To
help him
understand
the importance
of brushing,
it can
be sometimes
fun and
helpful
to let
him eat
or drink
something
that will
'stain'
his teeth
temporarily,
such as
oreos, and then
let him
brush them
clean.
It
can also
be a good
idea to
create
a 'tooth
brushing
routine'
that can
include
playing
some music,
getting
things
set up,
etc. And
stick to
the same
routine each day.
Ultimately
though,
this is
not something
he can
get out
of doing.
Regular
brushing
is very
important
to his
dental
health.
If you
are still
having
problems,
then a visit to
a Pediatric
Dentist
can be
helpful.
Keep
in mind
that most
'children's
toothpaste'
brands,
such as
Barney
toothpaste,
are fluoridated,
and you
only want
to use
a very
small pea
size amount
of toothpaste.
Swallowing
too much toothpaste
with fluoride
can lead
to staining
of the
teeth (fluorosis). |
