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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 13.2% of children between the age of 5 and 19 have dental caries. Considering there are over 80 million kids within the specified age group, this means close to 8.75 million of them have suffered from tooth decay at one point or another. 

For a parent, these staggering numbers can be quite disconcerting. 

However, the right approach to taking care of your child’s oral health will definitely put your mind at ease. And that’s exactly what we will be discussing in this blog.

When Should You Get Your Child Started on Brushing?

Dentists recommend that children be introduced to brushing when they are one or two years old. At this age, parents need to brush their child’s teeth twice a day using a small amount of infant toothpaste. 

As they grow older and develop the ability to spit, you can use fluoride toothpaste. You should also encourage them to brush by themselves and teach them how to clean their tongue, teeth, and gums.

Your child will require assistance until they turn 7 or 8 years old, around which point, they will develop the skills to brush their teeth themselves.

Tips for Making Brushing Fun for Your Child

• Kids can be headstrong and refuse to listen to their parents when it comes to performing tasks they have no stake or interest in. 
• Using these tips can help you persuade them to develop good dental habits:
• Let them choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste based on their favorite colors or fictional characters. This will keep them invested.
• Ensure they brush their teeth twice a day and for two minutes every time.
• Get them interested in oral health by watching or reading fun and interactive content.
• Reinforce the brushing habit by offering rewards for reaching important milestones. This can be something as simple as giving them a toy for maintaining their brushing habit for a month in a row.

Conclusion

Building good oral health habits at a young age helps children remain focused on learning and developing at their own pace. 

If you want to take care of your child’s dental health and help them develop good habits early on, we’ll be happy to help. You can schedule a consultation with our pediatric dentists at Rivermark Dental to find all the answers you need by calling (408) 988-7788, scheduling an appointment online, or visiting us at 3931 Rivermark Plaza, Santa Clara 95054.