In order to maintain good dental health, good brushing and flossing techniques are essential from an early age. As a parent, you can educate your child on the best practices in order to avoid problems in the future. Make sure to visit the best kids dentist ridgewood as soon as your child’s firs tooth erupts, which typically happens before the child turns one.

Follow the tooth brushing tips below to help your child maintain a beautiful smile:

• It is highly important to opt for toothpaste that contains fluoride in order to prevent dental decay. Also, use an amount no larger than the size of a pea, if using fluoride toothpaste.
• As soon as the baby teeth erupt, you should start brushing your baby’s teeth – approximately around 6 months old
• Parents should always supervise the tooth brushing of their children
• Teeth should be brushed twice a day, for a timeframe of approximately 2 minutes for best results
• It is imperative to brush the teeth before going to bed, and on one more occasion throughout the day (in the morning or later on in the day)
• Children should also be supervised closely not to lick toothpaste from the tube or from the brush and swallow it. It can easily happen especially with toothpaste that is flavored (such as strawberry flavor toothpaste for kids)

For children aged 3 to 6, the same rules apply approximately. However, kids should spit out after brushing, but they should not rinse after using fluoride toothpaste in order for the fluoride to work well. For children 7+ years, you should buy toothpaste with a fluoride content between 1350ppm and 1500ppm. You can easily check the fluoride content on the label.

Furthermore, in the beginning you can guide your child’s hand during tooth brushing so that they can learn the technique better. Using an egg timer is also a fun idea to help your child brush his teeth for a time long enough to obtain the best results. Children should also not be allowed to move around while brushing their teeth (especially running), as this could lead to accidents.