The 5 Most Important Child Dental Care Issues Parents Should Know About

It is tough being a parent. We each worry about our children in different ways. Some parents worry about academics, others have to worry about health problems. But one of the issues most parents have to worry about across the board is hygiene. Your child’s hygiene needs will change as they get older, but at every age there is the perpetual need to brush and floss regularly. Here is a quick guide that will hopefully help all the parents out there focus on the different dental needs at various ages of their child’s life. 

1. What should parents use to clean their child’s teeth? The simple answer is a toothbrush. It will remove plaque bacteria with ease. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head, preferably one designed for infants. And make sure to brush their teeth before bedtime.
2. When should a parent take their child to the dentist for their first check-up? We recommend that a parent take their child to the dentist once their teeth start to come in. 
3. Are thumb sucking and pacifiers harmful to a child’s teeth? These issues will only become a problem if they go on for a very long period of time. It will probably become a more prominent issue if they suck their thumbs or use a pacifier past the age of three. 
4. When should parent’s start using toothpaste and how much should they use? The sooner the better, actually. Parents should use a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste to clean baby teeth twice a day as soon as their teeth come in. Once a child reaches the age of 3-6 years old, then the amount should be increased to about the size of a pea. Make sure you brush their teeth for them, since they are not capable of brushing their teeth effectively yet.
5. What is the best toothbrush for kids that are 9-13 years old? Once a child reaches the age of 9 or 10 years old, most of their adult teeth should be present and they can start using an adult tooth brush and toothpaste. A soft-bristled toothbrush used twice a day for two minutes.

These are our top tips for parents to use for their children. Let us know if these were helpful of you if you have any questions of your own. Reach out to us via email or our contact form!