What’s the best way to brush my child’s teeth?

While your child’s early teeth are still coming in, you can clean them with a wet washcloth or a piece of gauze. By the time his back molars have come in (around 18 months), you can switch to a soft nylon-bristle child’s toothbrush. Using plain water, gently brush the teeth on both the outside and inside surfaces twice a day. Brush his tongue as well (if he’ll let you) to dislodge the bacteria that can cause bad breath. Replace the toothbrush as soon as the bristles start to look worn or splayed out.

Children  in the Isle of Man will be taught the importance of brushing their teeth as part of National Smile Month.

The Children’s Centre and the Department of Health have teamed up for the national campaign which runs from May 15 to June 15.

Danni Mottram, a healthier outcomes worker from The Children’s Centre, and community dental nurse Patricia Newson will visit pre-school groups across the Island during the month.

They will make sure children are aware of the benefits of brushing their teeth and explain how calcium in their diet can improve dental health. Children will be taught about using fluoride toothpaste and the dangers of consuming too much sugary and acidic food.

Teething, the emergence of the first teeth through a baby’s gums, can be a frustrating time for little ones and their parents. It helps to know what to expect when your child is teething and how to make the process a little less painful.

The Teething Process

Teething can begin as early as 3 months and continue until a child’s third birthday.

Congratulations on your new baby! Develop good practices for your child’s oral health now, for your baby’s dental future. Your child’s teeth began to develop in utero, and will continue this process long before any teeth will erupt. The use of systemic fluoride can strengthen your baby’s teeth, while they develop, to make them less cavity-prone. A small amount of fluoride exposure is good at this stage, and is probably available in your city water. Do you drink city water? It is an easy way to get the added fluoride protection for your baby’s teeth. In the Phoenix water supply, there is .7mg/L of fluoride in the water, as is recommended by the EPA. If your child uses bottled water for drinking and in with formula, you may be able to request bottled water with fluoride added.

From Mouth Wipes to Brushing and Flossing
As with any other part of your child’s body, your child’s mouth needs to be cleaned regularly to keep it healthy, working properly and looking good. Research is now showing that the health of your mouth affects the health of the rest of your body. If your child’s mouth is clean and healthy, the rest of his or her body will be better off too.

Finding the right pediatric dentist for your child would not be a difficult task, if you know what you should be looking for. There are a few things that should always be considered before you finalize a dentist for your child.

Understand that it is important for your child at first place that he ends up liking the visit. The reason is that if your child is scared at the very first visit to dentist, chances are that he/she may stop sharing oral problems with you. This will be mainly due to the fear and pain caused at first visit to pediatric dentist.

Dental health should be something the entire family is involved in when it comes to teaching.  Anyone that has children knows that they are constantly mimicking what they see. Here are four suggestions on creating a great dental habit.

 Create a tooth brushing routine together

Just because your kid is old enough to put on her pajamas doesn’t mean she should be little Miss Independent in the bathroom. Make tooth brushing a do-together activity. Anyone that has children knows that they are constantly mimicking what they see. When you brush together, she can mirror all your smooth brushing moves, and you’re making sure that no corners are being cut!

Our purpose is to improve the life of others as an advocate for great oral health. Although oral health is a well worn subject, we are optimistic. Hearing from our customers and how our products have helped them achieve their oral health goals around the world helps to drive purpose. We have put together some of the latest responses we have received.  If you have any stories you would like to share with us please contact us here.

Here is what they have to say:

Brushing your teeth is the best way to prevent tooth decay or cavities. However, sometimes it can be quite the struggle to get your kids to do it. Dental cavities, or tooth decay, are one of the single most common chronic childhood diseases and what you may not know is that it’s contagious. The bacteria that cause decay can be passed from one person to another by kissing or sharing drinks or silverware. So, how do you get your child to brush their teeth without a major tantrum on your hands? Let’s look at great ways to get your kid to brush their teeth without a lot of fuss.

Tell us how our products have helped you. Post on your story of how you have used your StarSmilez on our facebook page. Three winners will receive a Free Small StarSmilez and have their comments featured in an upcoming blog post.

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