When Can I Floss My Child’s Teeth?



As parents we are constantly faced with a variety of decisions involving our children. While there are many that we can’t help with, when to floss your child’s teeth is an important topic that pediatric dentist, Dr. Cameron Fuller can give you some information about in order to help you make this decision.

“Flossing is as important for kids as it is for adults.  As soon as their teeth begin to erupt, food has the ability to stay on the teeth and between teeth. Usually when kids begin to teethe they get a few teeth in at a time. They are typically all on the bottom or the top at first.  Flossing prevents cavities from developing between the teeth, where a toothbrush can’t reach.”

“You’ll want to begin flossing their teeth as soon as there are two teeth together. When they enter the big halls of kindergarten, you’ll want them already flossing on their own. You may need to help them floss between their back teeth, as it can be difficult for them to move their fingers to reach the back, but the rest of flossing should be independent.” 

“Your child should be flossing as often as one time a day, at bedtime. Don’t allow your child to cut corners when flossing otherwise, before they know it, their mouth could be riddled with cavities and decay.”

Follow Dr. Fuller’s advice on flossing and your child will be well on the way to a long-lasting and healthy smile.

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 2, 2015 at 10:41 AM

    I agree with you. As soon as there are teeth to floss, just floss them. You want to start taking care of the teeth as early as possible to ensure the best care for you child's teeth. If it's not taken care of it can lead to serious health issues later in life. It can be difficult to get kids to cooperate, especially since children can be very resistant. In the end though, it will be for their benefit.

    http://www.grins4kids.com/

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