Teaching your toddler to brush their teeth and keep their mouth healthy is essential to their growth and development. Clearing away plaque and food particles before they are swallowed helps prevent bad breath, cavities, tooth decay, and gingivitis. In addition to good oral hygiene habits, your toddler must learn the correct way to brush their teeth. To understand the essentials to teach your toddler to brush their teeth, you should check out the following tips.
1. Amount of Toothpaste
Having your toddler use the right amount of toothpaste when brushing their teeth is important. The American Dental Association recommends that children under three should only be using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, and adults should use a squirt about the size of a grain of rice. Having your toddler use too much toothpaste can compromise the effectiveness of their teeth-brushing routine. It is also important to have them spit out the toothpaste after brushing their teeth to avoid swallowing the excess, having their teeth become stained, or developing sensitivity.
2. Brush Angle and Technique.
Toddler needs to brush their teeth correctly. They need to be taught that brushing their teeth should be done with a light touch and movement of the toothbrush so that they are not scrubbing away their gums. The ADA recommends that a toddler brush at 45 degrees for about two minutes, followed by three minutes where the toothbrush can travel backward and forwards over each surface of the teeth. After each third of the way around their upper and lower teeth, you might need to move their toothbrush to another part of their mouth so that tendons in their hand have a chance to strengthen. This process aims for your toddler to develop the habit of brushing for two minutes on each area after they are done.
3. Brushing Time
You should teach your toddler to brush their teeth for about two minutes and should brush their teeth three times a day. This is the duration of time that it takes them to get plaque off their tooth enamel, and it helps prevent cavities and gum disease. When your toddler’s mouth is cleaned out from brushing, it feels nice, and you can tell that they are getting more comfortable with brushing their teeth. Dentist recommend that your toddler brush their teeth after every meal and at bedtime. When they brush their teeth before bedtime, they can help to prevent tooth decay and bad breath.
4. Holding the Toothbrush Correctly
Teach your toddler to hold their toothbrush correctly and in a comfortable position. To do this, teach them to keep their toothbrush under their chin and how to brush side-to-side. Using the side-to-side brushing technique helps them to clean all of the areas that they can reach while they are brushing. After brushing their teeth, they should rinse their mouth with water and spit out any remaining toothpaste. With the correct training, they will not get any toothpaste in their mouth when they brush. It would be best if you also taught them not to swallow their toothbrushes or other objects when brushing their teeth- this will help prevent choking.
5. Oral Care Awareness
Teaching your toddler how to recognize the signs of oral health problems is equally important. Once your toddler has figured out how to brush and rinse out their mouth, they should be taught the signs of tooth decay, fever, ear pain, or mouth sores—having them learn these signs and when they should see a doctor will help them understand what they are doing wrong to improve their oral hygiene routine. This will also help them know when they are not following the basics of oral care.
Teaching your toddler to brush their teeth is essential to having a happy and healthy smile. It would help if you always supervise your toddler brushing their teeth. You should also monitor their tooth-brushing routine throughout the day and check for any signs of bad breath or cavities. Make sure to teach them how to brush their teeth correctly and clean out the areas they cannot reach with their toothbrush. Teaching your toddler, the basics of brushing their teeth will help them to continue these habits for a lifetime.