Children must be introduced to the subject of dental care in a gentle and understanding manner. By the time they reach school age at the latest, they are old enough to take brushing their teeth with their own hands, but still far from experienced enough to do everything right. Your support therefore remains essential. It is therefore almost an obligation to motivate your child to follow a dental care routine. The following article shows what is decisive.
The right cleaning technique for children
Brushing your teeth needs to be learned – adults know this all too well. Even the older ones often experience problems or misuse of toothbrushes and the like, which sometimes lures unpleasant guests, such as caries, into their mouths.
With children, of course, this is no different, which is why you should teach your little ones the correct cleaning technique as early as possible. Also in schools or kindergartens as well as in the dental practice, dental care is always taught in a child-friendly way.
The motto is: Always clean from “red to white”. As a rule, the so-called KAI technique is used. This means first cleaning the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, then the outer sides and then the inner sides. Circular movements are carried out with the toothbrush, which have to take place away from the gums to the tooth. In addition to the KAI technique, there are many other methods that children can use to brush their teeth most easily and effectively 1.
Brushing proper teeth should be learned from an early age!
At the same time, teach your child how long a brushing unit should last and the basic rule that you should brush your teeth at least twice a day. Even better after every meal or at least after sweet snacks.
Two minutes are enough to thoroughly clean the children’s teeth. A toothbrush watch with a childlike design is the perfect help to make full use of this time frame.
Toothbrushes and toothpaste for school children
To make sure that children’s dental care works, you should use special dental care products for children. The toothbrushes, for example, are perfectly adapted to the small oral cavity, often have soft or specially shaped bristles and are also equipped with a handy handle that makes it easier to clean them independently.
Nevertheless, check whether your child is actually brushing properly At the latest from the age of school children, the children are then also able to take responsibility for their teeth. Now the motor skills are fully developed to carry out the correct tooth brushing technique effectively.
Dental floss can and should also be used after this age at the latest to clean the interdental spaces. The right technique is particularly important to prevent injuries to the gums.
An electric toothbrush for children also makes sense, as it ensures even more thorough results in dental care. But whether or not it is actually suitable for the child is a very individual question. Not every child will find the rotating brush easy to use. It is often pressed on too tightly or areas in the mouth are left out when cleaning – so the rule here is: Just try it out.
Brushing your teeth becomes an adventure
Brushing teeth must be made palatable to children in the truest sense of the word. Otherwise the little ones quickly lose interest in the daily ritual and tooth decay gains the upper hand.
To avoid this, you should constantly motivate your child and keep him or her happy about the tooth brushing adventure. Let the little toothbrush and toothbrush mug choose for you. Drugstores now offer a wide range of alternatives that are designed specifically for children. From the eighth year of life it may be then also finally the toothbrush for adults.
A visit to the dentist can also be fun … and take away the fear.
The same applies to children’s toothpaste, which is often offered in bright colours and various flavours. But be careful if your child tends to swallow the toothpaste. This can be especially the case with fruity or even sweet alternatives. A neutral toothpaste with a fresh touch will help and prevent your child from trying it out.
Regular check-ups for healthy children’s teeth
Home dental care is important – the same applies to regular visits to the dentist. Your child’s teeth should be checked every 6 months at the latest from the age of schoolchildren. This way, illnesses can be diagnosed more quickly and your child gets used to this routine as early as possible.
Special paediatric dentists can help to relieve children’s fear of the dentist. However, many children also have a certain fear of the dentist, which makes the walk a real pain for the boys and girls. If this is the case with your child, a special paediatric dentist can help. Unlike conventional doctors, these dentists specialise in dealing with children and know exactly how to deal with their fears.
And this is enormously important, since the visit to the dentist must also become normal for the children. This is the only way to detect and treat defects or jaw misalignments as quickly as possible in the following years.
Dental care for children does not really differ much from that of adults. You play an important role from the very beginning – initially by brushing yourself, later by making sure that your child brushes their teeth correctly and by drawing attention to possible mistakes. Children’s dental care is therefore a task that also involves their parents, especially at a young age.