Flossing is essential to protect your child's teeth from the hidden dangers lurking behind candy, soft drinks and bread. Even healthy fruit can contribute to sugar acids eating away undetected until the next dentist visit-- and then it's too late to avoid cavities!
Plaque (that sticky yellow stuff on teeth that also causes teasing if other kids notice it), easily burrows down into the gums,destroying the root and even damaging bone. Giving your kids the gift of the good flossing habits -- even just once a day -- will do wonders to prevent cavities and keep beautiful their small smiles beautiful! And, later in life, to keep pink gums pink and surgery free.
When to Start?
Even though kids only need help with brushing until about age 3 or 4, for flossing they will continue to need your help until age 8 or 9 (for effective results). Until then you need to perform flossing every night before bedtime, right after a good two minute brushing.
A Good Start!
You may not realize it but at this age your child is recording everything. Every experience, site, sound is creating the future person they will easily become. By you, the parents, setting aside this time and practice every night without fail, your baby will absorb and retain at a deep level the importance of the flossing habit.
When it is time to set the child loose to be responsible for his or her own dental hygiene, it will be MUCH easier for them to remember all their lives. And, of course, will benefit you all by resulting in fewer cavities and gum issues showing up during dentist visits.
Toddler to early school age
As soon as two teeth side by side appear you can begin gently flossing with baby.
- Sit comfortably with your toddler on your lap facing you. (I liked to play "wheeee and laugh with them a few times since they were o my lap. It makes floss time happy fun with parent time and easier all around.
- Take about 18 inches of dental floss and wrap one end around each of your middle fingers.Using your thumbs and index fingers as guides, slide the floss between two teeth, GENTLY using a saw-like motion. (Not too fast! Slow and easy is the way right now!)
- When the floss reaches the gum line, pull both ends of the floss in the same direction to form a C shape around one tooth.
- Pull the floss tightly and move it up and down, up and down against one tooth.
- Pull the floss against the other tooth and repeat the motion. If baby is restive sometimes a little sawing song is good as a distraction.
- Repeat this for all of the teeth. Be sure to floss both sides of the teeth farthest back in the mouth.
"Doing this every night before bed will provide the foundation of a habit pattern that will impact any child's health and self confidence for life."
Who knew it was really such a gift to help your toddler develop good oral hygiene habits?
Because, if you are gentle and a little fun and loving (it only adds about 5 minutes to add in some wheee's and a bit of song and laughter), the benefits will go beyond just the next visit to your children's dentist. The confidence and self esteem of your kids will increase with those smiles because for a time everyday mommy or daddy spent lovingly caring for them.
Next time we will talk about early school age flossing. Until then, enjoy creating healthy smiles with your kids.
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