Brushing Teeth

Oral Health can impact overall health and daily comfort, as well as other area’s of life such as communication and nutrition. The American Academy of Pediatric Teeth (AAPT) suggests that parents should start brushing their child’s teeth as soon as the teeth completely emerge, using a soft bristle brush. While small children do not have the ability to effectively brush their own teeth, we can start shaping their independence as early as age 2. 

AAPT notes that children under age 2 should be brushing 1-2 times a day using a small smear of fluoride free toothpaste, and transition to brushing twice each day, using a pea sized amount of fluoride toothpaste between the ages of 3 and 6. While this recommendation seems pretty straight forward, it may be easier said than done. 

Many families face challenges with brushing their children’s teeth. Some of those challenges include the willingness to allow the teeth to be brushed, the child only wanting to brush their own teeth, and not allowing parent assistance, preference of specific toothpaste, swallowing toothpaste, or wanting toothpaste repeatedly applied. 

Primary teeth, are just as important, if not more important, as permanent adult teeth. Primary teeth help shape the way your child learns to speak, eat food, and creates pathways for your child’s adult teeth to form.

The best first step to preventing tooth decay or other dental problems is to speak to your child’s dentist for recommendations on toothbrushing and flossing. Be sure to share all relevant and important health information about your child’s health with your dentist, such as medical conditions, poor chewing, mouthing items, biting behavior, vomiting or gagging behaviors, medications, speech or feeding issues. Also share details like, thumb sucking, repeated mouthing of their fingers. This information will allow your dental team to best treat your child. 

Although children will continue to need assistance brushing their teeth through about age 6, we can start teaching independence by allowing them to try before or after a parent brushes their teeth.

Start by making brushing an exciting and pivotal part of the day. Brushing teeth with your child in the morning, and at night can help shape understanding of the importance of dental hygiene. This also allows multiple opportunities for practice. 

Model brushing your teeth as an example of proper teeth brushing. Brush your teeth, one area at a time, for your child to imitate the brushing motion in the same area. If they need help, guide them to the correct area.

Use visuals. There are a host of apps, and videos online that may be helpful to use as visuals to teach brushing teeth. Pictures of your child brushing correctly can be posted in your bathroom, or brushing area, to refer to as examples for how they should be brushing their teeth, holding their toothbrush, how much toothpaste is needed etc.

App Suggestions: 

Brusheez is a cool app available in the Apple App Store and Android store that shows a little monster brushing his teeth, as a visual model. The helpful thing about this app is that it allows you to remove teeth from the masters mouth, to match any missing teeth from your chin’d mouth. There is also a timer that allows you to set how long you would like your little one to brush their teeth.

Brush up is another app available across App Store Platforms that provides a visual model for brushing teeth. This app is really near and shows a little video window of your child brushing their teeth, and captures photos to show how well your child is matching the character’s example. After brushing is complete, the app rates how well your child matched the example, and shows pictures that were captured during brushing.

Provide choices to your child where possible! Allow your child to pick out their preferred toothbrush, and toothpaste, or if you brush their teeth before or after they brush their own teeth. 

Try teaching this skill in small steps. Work on one aspect of brushing at a time. For example, work on them holding the toothbrush in their mouth before you work on the brushing motion, then work only on moving the toothbrush back and forward, before moving on to up and down or circular motions.

Tip: Teaching spitting to rinse their mouth can be tricky! Try using a cup fo them to take water into their mouth, shake their head a little, and have them open their mouth over the sink to allow the water to fall out. Teaching spitting is similar to blowing. If your child can blow bubbles, they may be able to spit water also.

Reinforce frequently! Provide lots of verbal praise for each stage of the brushing process. It may take time for your child to get comfortable with the toothbrush in their mouth for longer times, and that is okay. Encourage them by saying “good job,” or “ you’re doing awesome!” If you need to, count out loud and set the expectation. You can say “5 seconds on each side,” and count those 5 seconds out loud. Offer a break if you feel that they need it between each section. Then maybe start increasing to 10 seconds, then 20 seconds. All that is really needed is 20 seconds in each section (top left, bottom left, middle top, middle bottom, right top, right bottom), as 2 minutes brushing is the recommendation. 

One thing many people find helpful is singing a song while brushing. You can make your own song, sing your child’s favorite radio tune or nursery rhyme, or just hum a fun rhythm.

Dental hygiene is important and doesn’t just stop with brushing teeth. Healthy food choices, and a balanced diet are important factors! Talk to your child pediatrician for assistance with implementing the recommended groups into your child’s diet. Also discuss when to introduce solid foods, new foods, or when to stop bottle or breastfeeding. If your child is bottle or breastfed, your pediatrician may have specific recommendations on when to offer their last feeding and when to brush, or how to clean their teeth throughout the night if they night feed.

Learning to brush teeth is an exciting stepping stone toward independence. Approach this time with enthusiasm and confidence. Be consistent with the strategies you try, and know that it is okay if things don’t work exactly as you planned the first time. Being consistent will help your child learn what to expect, and perhaps make things more comfortable as they learn. If something is not working after consistently trying, it’s okay to switch things up and adapt to new methods. Try only changing one thing at a time, this will help you clearly identify the elements that work and aren’t working. And again, have fun! Brushing is a pivotal that impacts the overall health and wellness, help your child build a healthy relationship with their smile.