When should you start brushing your child's teeth? When to start brushing children's teeth How to brush a small child's teeth.

Caring for a baby’s oral cavity is a serious matter that requires increased responsibility from parents. Children's first teeth are very fragile and sensitive. How not to make a mistake in choosing toothpaste and teach your child to brush their teeth on their own?

All parents, without exception, want their children to be healthy, so adults must monitor the child’s health. It falls on the parents to take care of the condition of the first baby teeth. Daily oral hygiene is necessary from early childhood. The correct formation of molars and the absence of dental problems throughout life will depend on this.

Why is it important to brush baby teeth?

Some parents are careless, when the question of baby teeth comes up. Mistakenly believing that such teeth will soon fall out, they often ignore caring for them. The danger of such misconceptions lies in ignorance of the possible consequences. Temporary teeth also need care, because caring for them is a key factor in the appearance of strong and healthy molars. If you do not treat a damaged baby tooth, you can harm the buds of permanent teeth located near its root system.

In addition, healthy baby teeth are responsible for the proper development of the jaw bones and contribute to the formation of the bite. The child speaks his first words thanks to his baby teeth. They also help him develop his speech apparatus. Chewing food occurs with the help of milk teeth. By forming a bolus of food, they keep the baby's stomach healthy. When a child chews food, he trains the masticatory muscles, and the development of the jaw bones affects the formation of harmonious proportions of the lower area of the face. Don't forget about the aesthetic side - beautiful smiling is important for your mental state and behavior in society. Measures aimed at early prevention of caries are the key to dental health at any age.

At approximately three years of age, a child should have 20 baby teeth. From now on, it is recommended to visit the dentist at least twice a year. A visit to the dentist's office will help reduce the risk of developing caries, and at the same time the doctor will monitor the condition of the gums.

A pediatric specialist is required to identify the diseased tooth and also check the areas where the molars are erupting. An adult should consult a doctor about which hygiene products are suitable for a certain age. We need to discuss how to properly care for teeth and gums, and which toothpaste will not cause harm.

By 6–8 months, the first teeth erupting can be observed in the baby’s mouth. At the first stage there appear two lower and two upper incisors, and by the age of three, the formation of twenty baby teeth ends. The body of each child is individual and it happens that the first rudiments of teeth are discovered only after a year of life, and therefore the entire process of dental development is inhibited.

Minor deviations should not cause alarm to parents, but if the child is already a year old and there is no hint of teeth, or eruption has not been completed by the age of three, an in-person consultation with a specialist is necessary, who will examine the baby and send him for an x-ray to rule out possible pathologies.

When should you start brushing your child's teeth?

It is difficult to give a definite answer to the question of when to start brushing your baby’s teeth. Teething is individual in nature, and for each child the process of tooth formation occurs in its own way. The appearance of a white stripe in the gum indicates that the crown is being squeezed out. Parents should closely monitor her condition; it would be useful to draw up a teeth-brushing calendar, which indicates when to start brushing baby teeth.

Among other things, soft tissue wounds can become infected, which will cause suppuration. The use of fluoride-containing toothpastes for children is not recommended at this stage.

Most doctors agree that parents should monitor their infant's oral hygiene. A breastfeeding mother transmits microorganisms to her child that can cause gingivitis and stomatitis.

How to clean the mouth of a child up to 6 months and older?

Until the formation of baby teeth, parents can wipe the baby's mouth, including gums and tongue. In this simple way, pathogenic plaque is removed and the mouth gets rid of bacteria. Due to the increased sensitivity of the first teeth, it is also recommended to wipe them so as not to cause unpleasant sensations with a toothbrush. Suitable for wiping:

Around six months of age, the child loses the ejection reflex. From this period you can brush your teeth using the following means:

Silicone finger brush. Used from 3 months to a year. At this age, the child’s hands are unable to firmly hold a toothbrush and perform the necessary movements, so using such a device will make the task easier.
Toothbrush. A children's toothbrush must have soft bristles and a small handle. The size of the cleaning surface should not exceed the area of two children's teeth.

In addition to a toothbrush, you need choose toothpaste according to the child's age:

For children who have not yet received complementary foods, gel toothpaste is suitable. It is best to buy such pasta with a neutral or milky taste, as they will not cause rejection in the baby. The absence of abrasive components in it will not cause pain to the child when his teeth are brushed.
Fruit toothpaste. For children receiving complementary feeding, you can purchase pasta with banana, raspberry or strawberry flavors.

Cleaning technique

You need to start brushing your teeth twice a day: in the morning and before bedtime. The duration of the procedure should take at least three minutes, but to begin with, one minute is enough so that the baby can gradually get used to the new activity.

What is important is not formal adherence to the teeth cleaning procedure, but its competent implementation. Key points for proper cleaning Children's teeth are practically no different from recommendations for adults:

The toothbrush is applied to the teeth at an angle of 45 degrees. Then circular movements are made from the gums to the upper border of the tooth.
Cleaning is carried out both from the outside and from the inside.
The chewing surface is cleaned with progressive circular movements of the brush.
Don't forget about the language. The reverse side of the brush is intended for cleaning it.

Not all parents know how to properly brush their children’s teeth, but The condition of the erupted permanent teeth depends on the quality of care for baby teeth.. To protect your child from problems with molars, incisors and canines, it is necessary to teach him to brush and rinse his mouth after the very first tooth erupts.

Features of the structure of milk teeth

Baby teeth form in the sixth week of fetal development. Normally there are 20 of them:

8 molars;
8 incisors;
4 fangs.

Temporary teeth consist of the same tissues as permanent teeth:

dentin (in temporary teeth it is softer and less mineralized);
enamels;
pulp.

However, primary incisors, canines and molars have features:

low crowns;
large distance between crowns;
long thin roots that dissolve before the temporary tooth falls out and the permanent tooth erupts;
thin enamel - only 1 mm;
wide channels.

The structure of baby teeth is only slightly different from permanent teeth, so they no less need proper care. You can start brushing your child’s teeth after the very first incisor has erupted.. Early training in hygiene will be an excellent prevention against many dental diseases that can affect the primary incisors, and then the rudiments of the permanent ones formed under them.

If you don’t care for your baby’s teeth or care for them incorrectly, your baby will have to visit pediatric dentists already in the first three years of life. Or he may tolerate drilling rotted teeth with a bur, which is painful and unpleasant for a small child, even with high-quality anesthesia.

How to properly clean a baby's mouth

Immediately after being discharged from the hospital, you need to start wiping the newborn baby’s gums with a thick gauze swab dipped in water. You can also wet the tampon in:

chamomile infusion, if the baby does not have constipation;
bactericidal infusion of sage;
St. John's wort decoction, as this plant strengthens the gums;
anti-inflammatory decoction of calendula.

It is not recommended to use decoctions and infusions of herbs to treat the oral cavity of a baby more than 2-3 times a week, as their abuse can lead to allergic reactions.

Maintaining hygiene, which involves treating the oral mucosa with a gauze swab, is necessary for both newborns who are breastfed and those children who are fed artificial formula. Breast milk does not clean the oral cavity, but pollutes it. If you do not sanitize your baby’s mouth after feeding, then pathogenic bacteria will begin to multiply in it, which can lead to infection of the tooth enamel.

At what age should a child start brushing his teeth?

You need to start brushing your baby's teeth from the moment they begin to erupt. At first, it is better to perform manipulations without paste, carefully treating not only the first tooth, but also the gum itself. You can use a special soft baby brush or a silicone pad that is placed on the parent’s finger. The last device will serve not only as a brush, but also as a gum massager, which will ease the pain from teething.

You should act carefully during the cleaning process, since the gums near the cutting tooth are inflamed and painful, so infants may react poorly to the hygiene procedure. But you cannot refuse it: during teething, local immunity deteriorates, so the risk of infection of the enamel increases.

More details about caring for the oral cavity of a newborn are described in the video:

How many times a day should children brush their teeth?

Both baby and molar teeth should be brushed twice a day.- in the morning and in the evening. Otherwise, under the influence of salts, acids and sugars found in food debris, caries will form on baby teeth, which will have to be treated by a dentist using professional instruments.

How to properly brush children's teeth

There are several general rules for high-quality teeth cleaning, depending on the age of the baby:

A child under one year old should brush his teeth using a special silicone pad, which is fixed on the parent’s index or thumb.
After a year, you can use a brush with silicone bristles and a special limiter, gradually switching to classic models.
From the age of three, a regular brush with soft bristles is used. It is important that its surface is covered only by two dental crowns, otherwise the hygienic procedure will not be effective enough.

A baby brush needs to be changed every 3-4 months. If the service life has not yet expired, but the brush has already become rough around the edges, you should change it, since pathogenic bacteria can begin to form and multiply between the bristles.

How to brush the teeth of a child under 1 year old

Six months is the age when parents should start brushing their child’s teeth every day. From 6 to 12 months, children are cutting teeth, so during this period it is necessary to sanitize their oral cavity very carefully. The baby cannot yet take part in the hygiene procedure, but can already express his dissatisfaction with sounds and gestures, so the adult should focus not only on the dental cleaning technique, but also on the baby’s sensations.

How to properly brush your first teeth

Key cleaning rules:

There should be about 10–15 movements per tooth. During the procedure, it is necessary to clean not only the dental enamel, but also the inner surface of the cheeks, tongue and gums. You can also brush your one-year-old child's teeth using special dental wipes, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.

Why you need to teach your child to brush their teeth earlier than one year

You should start brushing your baby's baby teeth when the first incisor appears or even before it fully erupts. Complete oral care will help:

form the correct bite;
It is good to clean the oral cavity from cariogenic bacteria;
prevent various diseases, including caries.

How to brush teeth for children over one year old

A child over 1 year old can purchase their first toothbrush with silicone bristles. It costs more than a regular one, but such a waste of money is justified: a brush with silicone bristles will not injure the child’s teeth and will help to thoroughly clean the gums and cheeks. You can use it to clean even your child’s first teeth. However, such brushes quickly become unsuitable for safe use, so they should not be used for a long time.

Rules for caring for a children's toothbrush with silicone bristles

In order for the silicone brush to last longer, you must follow the following rules for its operation:

Do not boil or even simply pour boiling water over the brush;
After each use, you should wash it with soap (baby, tar, laundry).

The brush should not be placed in a case; it should be stored in a closed cabinet, in a glass, separately from the brushes of adult family members.

Toothpastes for one-year-old children and infants

To start brushing children's teeth using toothpaste, it is not necessary to wait until the child is one or three years old. Most toothpastes are indicated for children over 2 years of age, however, there are a number of manufacturers whose product lines include good fluoride-free toothpastes suitable for children under one year of age. They are completely harmless and can be swallowed. Such products can be found among the brands:

R.O.C.S.
Elmex.
Splat.
Lacalut.

Each toothpaste indicates at what age it is approved for use - you need to brush your child’s teeth only with a product that is not contraindicated for him and is suitable for comprehensive care of children’s teeth.

When starting to brush the teeth of a child under one year old using toothpaste, you need to monitor his reaction. Some babies may develop allergies, so at the first symptoms of a rash or an incomprehensible cough, you should stop using the paste and show your baby to a doctor.

Teeth brushing technique with toothpaste

You can start brushing your teeth with toothpaste when the child’s first incisor appears, the deadline is one and a half years. You shouldn’t wait until he develops caries due to lack of proper care.

Brushing procedure with toothpaste:

a certain amount of paste is applied to a pre-moistened brush;
the brush is brought at a right angle to the crowns;
The tooth surface must be cleaned using sweeping movements: from the roots to the tops;
The inner dental surface is cleaned with short movements, the brush is placed at an angle of 45 degrees;
the cutting and chewing surfaces of the crowns are processed at the very end;
after completing the procedure, you should rinse your mouth with water;
The approximate duration of each cleaning is 2-3 minutes.

2–3 years old is the age when you need to start teaching your child to brush their teeth on their own.

Rinse aids for little ones

Manufacturers of mouthwashes do not recommend the use of such products for children under six years of age, as there is a high risk that the baby will swallow the mouthwash.

How to teach a child to brush their teeth

Many children under 1 year old, and sometimes older children, do not want to brush their teeth, expressing their dissatisfaction in every possible way. In this case, it is necessary to attract their attention to the hygiene procedure using one of the following methods:

buy a bright brush with your favorite cartoon character and toothpaste with a pleasant fruity taste;
invite your child to brush the teeth of his toys;
brush your teeth with your child and compete with him in the quality and speed of brushing.

Each parent independently decides at what age to start brushing their child’s teeth and whether to use toothpaste, but delay can negatively affect the baby’s health. Parents should not only brush their children’s teeth, but also teach them how to properly care for their mouth on their own.

Dr. Komarovsky talks in more detail about children’s teeth, caring for them and teaching a child to brush:

The first question will probably be “is it necessary to brush your teeth in early childhood?” In addition, you will need to figure out what toothbrush and toothpaste can be used for this procedure, and how to generally teach the baby to use these items. All these questions will be answered in the presented material.

At what age should a child brush his teeth?

Many mothers underestimate the importance of the procedure in question and start teaching their baby to use a toothbrush late. Pediatricians say that brushing the mouth and teeth should begin from the moment the child already has at least one tooth. As a rule, this corresponds to the age of 5-6 months and at this time it is enough to clean the tooth once a day.

Closer to one and a half years, the child will need to be taught to brush his teeth at least twice a day, and if this procedure does not irritate him, then three.

How to brush your child's teeth

Until the age of 1 year, the baby needs to clean his teeth and mouth with a soft cloth or gauze, which should first be moistened in water. There are special finger attachments on sale in the form of soft rubber brushes that parents can use.

Closer to one year of age (10-11 months), you can buy a toothbrush for your baby. This item should be selected individually, paying attention to the soft bristles - there are toothbrushes on sale that are designed specifically for use by children, and they will be the best option. A toothbrush should never injure the gums or enamel on the teeth.

Note:up to the age of 3 years, the baby will not need anything else except a toothbrush. Toothpastes, gels and powders are prohibited.

During the period of 1-3 years, the baby needs to brush his teeth and clean the entire oral cavity twice/thrice a day, and parents should do this. Of course, the child will try to carry out the hygiene procedure himself - you must immediately teach him how to hold a toothbrush correctly. But it is technically difficult for a child to brush his teeth and cleanse his mouth even at the age of three, so parents will need help in any case. Just a three-year-old child can already buy a special children's toothpaste.

In order not to miss something important while a child is learning to brush their teeth, parents should remember a few simple rules regarding oral hygiene devices:

How to choose a toothbrush for a child

Experts say that parents will be able to choose the right toothbrush for their baby if they remember and use the following recommendations:

You cannot buy brushes made of natural bristles - pathogenic microorganisms multiply very quickly on such material. If a child uses just such a toothbrush, stomatitis may develop in the oral cavity.
If you are going to buy a toothbrush for a child aged 1-3 years, then when choosing, you should pay attention to its handle - it should be strong and thick so that the baby can hold it confidently.
The bristles on the hygiene device in question should be collected in “group sections”, of which there should be 23 pieces.
A child under 5 years of age should only use a very soft toothbrush.
The length of the head of a child's toothbrush should not be more than 23 mm.

Some brands have on sale a full set of the hygiene devices in question: a thimble brush (suitable for a six-month-old baby), with a small head and thick handle (will be the best option for a child 1-2 years old), the largest one (will speed up the child’s learning process).

We recommend reading:

General principles of proper brushing of teeth for a one-year-old child

As soon as the baby turns 1 year old, you need to clean his mouth and teeth with a special brush with a long handle. Pediatricians and pediatric dentists note a bad trend - parents do not know how and do not know how to properly brush their children’s teeth, which leads to abrasion of the enamel and early caries. But it is enough to adhere to a clear algorithm to avoid such problems:

Another important point: Pediatricians and pediatric dentists recommend brushing your baby’s teeth for two minutes. This procedure may be unpleasant for the child, he may begin to be capricious, but you can find a way out of the situation - for example, buy a 2-minute hourglass and invite the child to keep track of time, or watch a two-minute cartoon.

How to teach your child to brush their teeth on their own

Quite often, parents are faced with the fact that their child flatly refuses to brush their teeth on their own. In this case, you need to turn the process in question into a game! First, you need to buy him a beautiful, bright and unusual toothbrush. In addition to it, it is worth purchasing “tasty” toothpaste, but only one that you can swallow. Secondly, you can invite your child to play “cleaners” - whoever cleans his teeth better and more thoroughly will receive a prize (for this you should stock up on bright stickers and healthy sweets). Thirdly, you can find films on the Internet about how to properly brush your teeth - demonstrating “requirements” in action often has a positive effect on the baby’s desires.

Usually, by the age of 4-5 years, children can brush their teeth independently. If parents taught their child to this hygienic procedure from a very early age, then brushing teeth will become a habitual “event.”

Why do children need to brush their teeth?

Many parents believe that the child’s “baby” teeth are temporary, they do not serve any special function: “they will be replaced by permanent ones, then they will need to be cleaned.” This is a wrong opinion! It is very important to brush your teeth from early childhood and there are several reasons for this:

milk teeth form and ensure proper growth of permanent teeth;
any teeth are involved in the formation of the bones of the skull, and therefore have a great influence on the formation of facial features;
if teeth are brushed irregularly, then pathogenic bacteria will enter the baby’s body (from the mouth to the intestines), which can lead to the development of quite serious pathologies;
If the care of teeth and oral cavity is not carried out correctly, this will lead to the development

Which parent doesn’t want to see healthy and strong teeth in their little child? It is clear that everyone! To do this, they need to know that they need to start caring for a small child’s oral cavity from the very moment the first tooth appears.

Best age to start brushing your teeth

Paying attention to cleansing the baby’s mouth should begin as soon as the first baby tooth appears. On the one hand, this will teach the child to independently care for the oral cavity, and on the other hand, this is a necessary procedure for maintaining the oral cavity in a healthy condition.

Unclean teeth always lead to bad breath, as well as the proliferation of microbes, which can lead to not very pleasant consequences for the baby’s body.

There are several important periods of a little person’s age that you should pay attention to:

Rules for brushing teeth for a one-year-old child

To properly brush the teeth of a baby over 1 year of age, it is recommended to get a standard toothbrush.

It must meet certain parameters:

The brush should have a comfortable handle. It is better if there is a limiter on it that will prevent unwanted penetration of the brush into the neck. In addition, it should not slip out of the child’s small hand.
A children's toothbrush should have very soft bristles., as the hard one scratches the baby’s gums. The bristles should be cut evenly to ensure uniform pressure. It is better to give preference to the synthetic material from which bristles for children's toothbrushes are made. This can easily be explained by the fact that natural fibers accumulate a huge number of bacteria.
Cleaning brush surface should cover two baby teeth, and the head itself should be oval.
Children under three years old Doctors do not recommend using electric toothbrushes. This type of brush can be used no more than twice to avoid abrasion of the enamel.
A child should not use a brush, which is intended for adults, because it does not meet all the above requirements.

Do you want white and healthy teeth?

Even with careful care of your teeth, over time stains appear on them, they darken and turn yellow.

In addition, the enamel becomes thinner and teeth become sensitive to cold, hot, sweet foods or drinks.

In such cases, our readers recommend using the latest product - Denta Seal toothpaste with a filling effect.

It has the following properties:

Levels damage and fills microcracks on the enamel surface
Effectively removes plaque and prevents the formation of caries
Returns teeth natural whiteness, smoothness and shine

Teeth brushing technique

It is imperative to adhere to the correct technique for brushing teeth in children:

Is it necessary to clean your tongue?

In the process of cleansing the child’s mouth, it is very important not to forget to clean the tongue. Typically this is done with the back of a toothbrush. Every experienced dentist considers this procedure to be no less important than brushing your teeth itself.
On the surface of the tongue Microscopic particles of food may remain, which will not go away on their own, but will decompose, thereby negatively affecting the condition of the baby’s teeth and gums.
Moreover, it is the language and is responsible for taste sensations. And if it is covered with a large layer of plaque, then the sensations of the taste buds will be dulled

An incorrect bite spoils the appearance of your smile and leads to tooth decay and caries. Not everyone has the opportunity to get braces. You can use a mouth guard at home; it does not require grinding of teeth and does not harm enamel and gums.

Thanks to its universal size, it is suitable for any age. The mouthguard is made of durable material - medical polyurethane, so it does not injure the gums and teeth while worn. I recommend.

Teaching your baby to take care of his mouth independently

If there is no regularity and system in oral care, this can contribute to the development of microbes, which from the mouth can spread throughout the child’s body and, accordingly, become the cause of many health problems.

The most common diseases can be considered sore throat and digestive system problems, since damaged teeth cannot fully participate in normal chewing of food.

Therefore, it is so important to be able to teach your child to take independent oral care from a very early age.

The training process should begin as early as one year of age. It is during this period that the child begins to actively repeat all the actions of the adults in his environment. And it doesn’t matter at all how well he can brush his teeth himself, it is much more important that he strives for this.

In the process of teaching children to be independent in brushing their teeth, purchasing accessories appropriate for the child’s age plays an important role.

Young children quickly get bored with the boring process of oral care, so parents should try to turn this routine process into an exciting game.

It will be very good if parents brushing teeth together with your baby.

Then he will find the process of brushing his teeth and tongue more exciting, and parents will have more opportunities to playfully control how their child takes care of the oral cavity, as well as show him a clear example to follow. Babies pick up on the fly and repeat all the actions of their parents.

If your baby refuses to brush his teeth

Such situations may often arise, in which a child may refuse to brush his teeth, not paying attention to all sorts of persuasion from his parents. The reason for all this may be laziness or aversion of the baby to any aspect of the process mentioned above.
If this happened, it is important not to waste precious time in solving this problem. You can go to the store and invite him to choose a toothbrush and his favorite toothpaste or powder for brushing his teeth.
Today there is a huge range of toothbrush models. They can be made in the form of your favorite cartoon characters, or equipped with sound effects that little children love so much.
The selection of toothpastes is also huge. They come in all sorts of colors, smells and tastes. It is possible to purchase several items at once that your child needs in the process of brushing his teeth. This way the child will have the opportunity to choose even at home.
You should try to talk with your child as often as possible. regarding the need for oral care. After all, even the smallest children very quickly remember horror stories about caries and what can result from improper or untimely brushing of teeth.
You can also try this option: visiting a dentist. You can play with the baby - let him brush the teeth of one of the adults. Thanks to this game, the child will be able to make sure that this process is painless and has no negative consequences.
The process of teaching a little child to be independent The process of brushing your teeth is very labor-intensive, which is why it is so important to begin this training process as early as possible.
When a child brushes his teeth unwillingly and your tongue, you can try to captivate it with some new or well-forgotten fairy tale or rhyme.
Timely dental care should become a mandatory daily procedure that will not cause a feeling of fear in the baby.
It is necessary to try to make the care process Oral care is the most exciting activity possible. Then the baby will carry out this procedure twice a day with great delight and desire.

How long does the teeth cleaning procedure take?

Modern dentists say that it is necessary to spend about 4 minutes brushing your teeth.

It is believed that each tooth needs to be brushed for approximately 7-8 seconds.

It should be taken into account that two types of plaque always form on teeth:

Solid.
Soft.

Soft plaque can be removed fairly quickly, but hard plaque may require longer cleaning to remove. If you do not devote enough time to this procedure, this can lead to periodontitis and the formation of tartar.

It is also important to remember that cleaning your teeth helps eliminate bad breath, and this takes 1.5-2 minutes. Fluoride substances, which are contained in toothpaste and help strengthen tooth enamel, are activated only two minutes after the procedure for cleansing the child’s oral cavity.

Children's teeth cleaning products

Since young children often do not know how to rinse their mouths well, it is very important that children’s toothpaste does not contain harmful substances. The fluoride content in it should be minimal, since a large amount of it is quite harmful to the baby’s body.

It is worth paying attention to children's toothpastes that contain milk protein casein. It will not have an adverse effect on the body and teeth of a small child, even if he constantly swallows the paste.

In addition, it should be taken into account abrasive index in toothpaste. Doctors say that it should not exceed 22 USD

A high-quality baby toothpaste should contain antibacterial substances, which will be very useful if there are various inflammations or wounds in the child’s mouth.

Many children love toothpastes that produce a large amount of foam when used. But parents of these children should remember that substances that are involved in the formation of foam while brushing teeth almost always dry out the child’s oral mucosa. This is highly discouraged, especially at an early age, as such components can cause an allergic reaction.

It is also worth noting that the procedure for cleaning the mouth of a small child requires a very small amount of paste - only the size of a small pea.

Teeth are necessary for humans to grind food, they participate in the correct formation of sounds, ensure intelligibility of speech, and form the oval of the face.

Healthy baby teeth are a guarantee of the natural development of permanent teeth. Therefore, there is no doubt about when to start brushing your child’s teeth: as soon as they erupt, they immediately organize regular care for them.

The appearance of the first incisors signals the need to begin preventive measures against caries, accustoming and gradually teaching the child the basics of oral hygiene.

When should you start brushing your child's teeth with toothpaste?

Manufacturers of hygiene products develop toothpastes for children from the first year of life, inviting consumers to use them for children from birth.

The first toothpaste should be gentle: gel-like, without fluoride, harmful ballast substances, pronounced flavoring additives, safe if swallowed.

By postponing the use of toothpastes, dentists recommend that parents begin caring for their infant’s oral cavity much earlier.

How to properly care for the oral cavity of a small child?

Dentists believe that you should start from the moment the first tooth appears or even 1-2 months earlier - from the third to fifth month of life.

The absence of teeth in an infant does not guarantee the health of the oral mucosa, on the surface of which colonies of pathogenic microorganisms are formed that, under unfavorable conditions, can provoke bacterial or fungal diseases.

A positive aspect of early initiation of hygiene procedures is that the child gets used to manipulations in the oral cavity, and the subsequent use of a brush with paste does not cause hostility or protest on his part.

The purpose of treating the oral cavity before teeth appear is to remove any remaining milk or formula from the mucous membrane of the child’s gums, tongue, and cheeks, which will not allow the development of a nutrient medium for pathogenic microbes.

A delicate massage effect activates blood circulation in the oral mucosa, improves its trophism, and increases local immunity. During teething, such a gentle massage of the gums relieves the itching sensation and calms the child.

The hygienic procedure is carried out twice a day, forty minutes after feeding, so as not to provoke the gag reflex.

Homemade and industrial products are used to cleanse the baby's mouth.

A gauze swab moistened with lightly salted water. Cotton wool and cotton pads are not used: their texture is too smooth, and they also leave behind small fibers.
Toothpicks With Xylitol - disposable moistened fingertip napkins with a neutral taste, recommended for use by children from birth to 6 years.
Disposable dental hygienic napkins Spiffies - impregnated with xylitol, approved for use by children of the first year of life.

At first, such gentle cleaning is recommended due to the peculiarities of the baby’s oral-motor development. Until six months, his sucking reflex is active, allowing him to swallow only liquid food. When a foreign solid object (for example, a spoon) gets into the oral cavity, the child reflexively begins to make sucking movements, pushing it out.

Subsequently, the innate reflex fades away, the chewing reflex develops, and expulsion no longer occurs. From this period, you can accustom your child to a toothbrush.

From six months of age to one year, it is recommended to use a silicone finger brush. An adult puts it on the finger and delicately carries out a cleansing procedure for the child, at the same time gently massaging the gums.
An alternative option during this period may be teething toothbrushes. They are equipped with rubber bristles and stops that prevent the brush from being pushed through and causing injury to the mouth and throat.
We recommend brushes with an ergonomic handle of an attractive design and a small rounded working part (head) that covers no more than two teeth.

Toothbrushes for children with temporary and mixed dentition are chosen with very soft (marking: extra soft) or soft (soft), preferably artificial, bristles.

Change toothbrushes every two to three months or after each child’s illness.

Manufacturers of electric toothbrushes theoretically allow children from two to three years of age to use their products under the supervision of an adult. However, most dentists agree that the optimal age for their use is starting from 6 years old, the procedure is also carried out in the presence of elders.

At what age should a child be taught to brush their teeth on their own?

In infants and toddlers in the first two to three years of life, motor skills, including fine motor skills, are still imperfect, so they are not yet able to properly manipulate a toothbrush in their mouth.

Parents take on this function: they brush the child’s teeth twice a day, gradually teaching the rules and involving him in the process.

By the age of four to five years, the development of motor activity reaches the necessary coordination; children already remember the sequence of movements with a brush and independently carry out the hygiene procedure. An adult observes the child’s manipulations, makes adjustments, and carries out final cleaning to completely remove soft plaque.

Active assistance in brushing teeth from elders lasts for one to two years, and according to some experts, it should be provided to a child until he is eight or nine years old.

In adolescence, parental control consists only of initiating the child to carry out the procedure and reminding him about it. This can last until the teenager develops an internal need for brushing his teeth.

Rules for choosing children's oral care products

Temporary (baby) teeth differ significantly from permanent teeth, and therefore hygiene products for caring for them have significant differences.

High-quality children's oral hygiene products should not include:

carcinogenic and toxic compounds:
- Na benzoate, propylene glycol (PEG or PEG) are preservatives, present in products with a long (more than a year) shelf life;
- Na lauryl sulfate (SLS, E-487) - foaming agent;
- parabens;
- benzyl alcohol;
antiseptic substances - chlorhexidine, metronidazole, triclosan - destroying not only pathogenic, but also natural microorganisms in the oral cavity;
chemical thickeners - derivatives of acrylic acid, cellulose;
artificial flavoring ingredients, even identical to natural ones;
sugars - glucose, sorbitol, sucrose - creating favorable conditions for the development of caries.

The ingredients present in both children's and adult toothpastes differ significantly in concentration and intensity of impact.

Abrasives- provide a cleansing and polishing effect, there are two groups:
- aggressive - chalk (Ca carbonate), soda (Na bicarbonate), their abrasiveness index (RDA) is high: more than 70;
- gentle - silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide, have a low RDA.
Fluorine- an element that prevents the occurrence of carious cavities, strengthening the enamel of growing and already formed teeth. However, it is highly toxic if it enters the gastrointestinal tract.
- toothpastes without fluoride are intended for children under three years of age: children swallow large amounts of toothpaste, there is a high risk of intoxication;
- pastes containing aminofluoride (olaflur) - an organic form of the element - are recommended for older children and are especially indicated for use by residents of areas with low levels of water fluoridation.

Within their group, children's toothpastes are divided into segments for different ages, which have their own characteristic features.

Pastes intended for children under three years of age - for temporary teeth, low-abrasive: RDA within 20, without fluoride or fluoridated no more than 200 ppm.
From three to seven years - the period of replacement of milk teeth with permanent ones, low abrasive aggression of pastes: RDA< 50, содержание фтора ≤ 500 ppm.
From 7 to 14 years - permanent teeth predominate in children; abrasiveness in pastes is low: RDA up to 50, but fluoride ≤ 1200 ppm.

Healthy toothpastes can be further enriched with:

natural thickeners - plant pectins (for example, algae extract), resins, approved food additives (xanthan gum);
microelements - calcium, aminophosphates, fluorides - they are actively involved in the formation of healthy and strong enamel;
milk enzymes - lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, lysozyme - stimulating local immunity, increasing the protective properties of saliva;
natural protein - casein - which promotes the accumulation of calcium in the enamel.

In cases where children's toothpaste is not available, adults do not use the product: the child's teeth are simply cleaned with a brush dipped in water.

He emphasizes that the choice of toothpaste is a secondary issue: high-quality cleansing is achieved not so much by using some special toothpaste, but by competently performing the cleaning technique. He admits that a common mistake is the insufficient amount of time that the child spends on hygiene procedures.

The doctor advises choosing toothpastes with a small amount of ingredients, mostly natural, and purchasing baby hygiene products in pharmacies or specialized stores.