Flossing – Teach Your Child the Right Way
To maintain healthy teeth and gums, your child will need to floss and brush his teeth on a regular basis. This also helps your child maintain good oral health in his adulthood. It is a good idea to teach your child how to floss when he is as young as two years old. However, you will need to provide him with assistance and supervision until he is at least eight.
When to Floss?
When your child’s tooth surfaces next to another tooth, it is time to begin flossing. She will need to floss at least once a day, usually at bedtime. Keep in mind that food and bacterial plaque can settle between the teeth and lead to halitosis, gum disease, and tooth decay.
Steps to Follow
Step 1: Hold a short length of floss between the index finger and the thumb. By twining the floss around one finger – at each end – your child will have better control during the flossing process. Do not apply too much pressure when flossing between the teeth. Step 2: Adjust the floss into a “C” shape curve around each tooth. Next, slide the floss gently across the side of the tooth, and under the gum line, in an up and down motion. Step 3: To avoid reinserting food and plaque into the teeth, your child should use a new section of floss for each tooth. Step 4: To clean the surfaces between the teeth that have spaces, your child should use an interdental brush.
Tips to Remember When Flossing
Once your child learns how to master these flossing skills on their own, he or she will be able to keep their smile beautiful for decades to come. Here are six tips to help ensure your child flosses the right way. •
Select soft and pliable dental floss. This could prevent your child from hurting his teeth and gums when flossing.
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The length of the floss should be no more than 18 inches; this will vary from child-to-child. Ask your dentist for correct lengths.