When can you start brushing your child's teeth with toothpaste? Choosing the best toothpaste for your child. When to start using toothpaste

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Teething is one of the important periods in a child’s development. When to start brushing your child’s teeth, which one to choose toothpaste and a brush? Many parents don’t even pay attention to brushing, not giving milk teeth the importance they deserve. Meanwhile, diseases oral cavity at an early age can adversely affect the formation permanent teeth. In this article, we will look at when you need to start brushing your child’s teeth and how to care for them correctly.

Why do you need to care for baby teeth?

Although baby teeth are temporary, they should also be well cared for: brushed daily and treated promptly. Otherwise tooth enamel is destroyed and caries appears over time.

If an infection occurs, you may develop:

• pulpitis,
• inflammation,
• periodontitis.

The need to monitor oral hygiene increases if you like to please your child with sweets and cookies. This need grows stronger if the child’s diet contains a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Most parents think that breast-feeding, proper nutrition and the absence of sugar in the menu already guarantee healthy and strong teeth.

However, this is not at all true. Few people know about the harm that vegetable and fruit acids cause. As it turns out, your favorite fruits and some types of vegetables contain a lot of sugar and acids, which have a detrimental effect on enamel. For this reason, it is recommended to give your baby at least a drink of water after consuming these products.

We brush our teeth correctly! Pediatric dentists strongly recommend starting to brush their teeth from the very first eruption.

It is necessary to wipe the first teeth after feeding with gauze. All food debris is removed and the risk of plaque is reduced. The bottle with pacifier must be removed immediately after the baby has eaten. The answer to the question at what age should a child brush his teeth with toothpaste is approximately from 10-11 months you can already use a special baby paste for children

Most parents are wary of toothpastes, considering them “chemicals.” But in this case, the benefit outweighs the harm. When purchasing, you should carefully study the composition. Perfect for little ones: Weleda teeth gel, R.O.C.S. Pro Baby for the little ones, Xlear Inc (Xclear) Kids Spry tooth gel with xylitol. They are reasonably safe if accidentally ingested.


Children's toothpaste with organic raspberry extract NATURA SIBERICA from 2-3 years, as it still contains Sodium Coco-Sulfate (a relative of SLS) and Sodium Benzoate."

Another important point is the amount of toothpaste needed to brush your teeth. The “pea-sized” dosage is familiar to everyone from childhood, but for children this is too much. The recommended dose should be no more than a grain of rice. For children who do not yet know how to rinse their mouth normally, this is enough.

To thoroughly clean the surface of the teeth, you need to move the brush from the gums towards the edges of the teeth. In this case, the lower row of teeth should be brushed from bottom to top, and the upper row from top to bottom. The gums also need to be gently massaged with rotational movements. This improves blood circulation and strengthens the gums. Brushing movements should be light and without pressure, otherwise the gums will be damaged and the enamel will be worn away.

It is also necessary to remove plaque from the tongue. This can be done by wrapping gauze around your finger or using a tool on a brush.

Which brush to choose

It is necessary to say a few words about the choice of brush.

• Up to a year You should give preference to brushes with silicone bristles. In children's stores you can even find special fingertips that are ideal for cleaning the first teeth.
• After a year You can switch to soft bristles. Again, toothbrushes from R.O.C.S. are perfect.

Maximkin set.
Many kids categorically refuse to brush their teeth. In this case great importance has parental behavior. It is strictly forbidden to scold a child and force him to clean it forcibly, in this way you can completely interrupt his interest.

Tell your child why they need to brush their teeth. Read fairy tales on this topic and watch corresponding cartoons, for example, “Queen Toothbrush”, “Three Cats”.

In 2014, this organization updated dental recommendations. The innovations concern the following points:

It is allowed to use toothpastes containing fluoride from the moment the first teeth erupt. Previously, fluoride-containing toothpastes were not recommended for children under 3 years of age.

Required dosage toothpaste should not exceed a grain of rice, after 3 years a pea.

The last point is quite controversial. Many doctors do not agree with this and argue that regular brushing with fluoride paste is enough to ensure sufficient mineralization of teeth.

Baby teeth are also important. If you suddenly notice caries, do not leave things to chance and contact pediatric dentist. Children's teeth should be brushed as soon as they appear. Do this playfully with your baby to awaken his interest in this process.

The key to success when communicating with others is a healthy smile. Therefore, daily oral care is simply necessary. And not just because healthy white teeth are beautiful. Their illnesses can cause illness and internal organs. That is why it is necessary to start caring from the very first baby tooth. It is important not only when to start brushing your baby’s teeth, but also how to do it correctly.

Why should a baby brush his teeth?

Many parents when answering the question When starting to brush your child’s teeth, people still mistakenly believe that baby teeth do not need care. They will fall out anyway and in their place permanent ones will grow, which need to be monitored as closely as possible. But this misconception is very dangerous for a number of reasons:

Brushing baby teeth for children is especially important because:

• they are not only constant correct height provide, but also form the correct bite;
• they are directly involved in the formation of the bones of the skull and, consequently, the face;
• If you don’t brush your teeth, bacteria from food can enter the stomach and cause serious illness;
• improper and inconsistent care of baby teeth can cause the development of caries on permanent teeth;
• You can instill in your child a sense of neatness and respect for health.

When parents understand the importance of the process, they begin to worry about another question - when to start? There is only one answer to this question - when does the first tooth appear?.

Although during teething the child’s immunity is weakened. And microcracks form in the gums, through which infection can occur.

But many dentists agree that it is necessary to care for the oral cavity with early age, before teeth appear. This is due to the fact that microorganisms and bacteria enter the child’s mouth with food and accumulate there. In addition, the manipulations carried out will quickly accustom the child to the necessary procedure of brushing his teeth. Yes, and gums due to daily massage will be more prepared for teething. Therefore the most suitable age- 3-4 months.

How to properly brush a one-year-old child's teeth?

At one year old, your baby can already be asked to use a baby brush with a long handle for cleaning. But parents don't all know how to brush their teeth. one year old child Right. Because of this, thin tooth enamel can be damaged and caries can begin.

The cleaning procedure must be carried out very gently so as not to damage the enamel. But at the same time carefully to prevent the accumulation of bacteria that cause caries.

Some tips for parents on how to brush their one-year-old child’s teeth:

Products that help with oral care

Once you have decided how to brush your children’s teeth and when to start, it’s time to choose the necessary products. When a baby has no teeth, then he doesn’t need a toothbrush. But, as we have already found out, it is necessary to take care of your oral cavity. Mothers use different means:

Additionally, you can use a special baby paste with the brush. For babies who have not yet been introduced to complementary foods, you need to choose a gel-like paste that has a light milky or neutral taste.

For children, who have already tried complementary You can use a special fruit-flavored paste.

Parents are often interested in the question of at what age should they brush their child’s teeth with a toothbrush. After all, the choice of toothbrush depends not only on the presence of teeth, but also on age:

Electric toothbrushes are especially popular with children. This is very good, because they clean the oral cavity effectively. And the children don’t need to be reminded again. But it is worth remembering that this is an electric mechanism and requires careful handling. Therefore, children under 5-6 years old should not buy such gadgets.

When choosing a children's toothbrush, you need to pay attention not only to quality and safety, but also to convenience. Until 3-4 years old, it should be comfortable to hold not for a child, but for an adult. After all, it is dad or mom who will brush the baby’s first teeth. You can buy your child a separate brush for training. It is worth remembering that a child is not able to carry out the procedure efficiently.

It is undoubtedly important for children appearance brushes. When choosing, parents should pay attention to the brush head and bristles. The latter should be smooth and moderately soft, take its original position when pressed. The plastic part of the brush should not have any jagged edges.

Even if the manufacturer writes the opposite, change toothbrush necessary at least once every two months. It must be stored dry and open.

But how to properly brush children's teeth without toothpaste?? Of course, all parents want to reduce the amount of chemicals that enter the baby’s body. But toothpaste is not something you can give up. After all, a brush without toothpaste is ineffective. And it can even harm the enamel. This means that if you can’t be there, you need to learn to choose the least dangerous one.

The most important thing when choosing a toothpaste is its composition. It should not contain sodium lauryl sulfate, phosphates, dyes, parabens, fragrances and antiseptics. It is better to choose a drug for the little ones. It is safe to swallow and does not contain harmful substances. The packaging may be marked 0+.

The amount of toothpaste is also important. A pea-sized amount is suitable for preschoolers. But if the child does not yet know how to rinse his mouth, then it is recommended that he eat no more than a grain of rice.

How to teach a child to brush his teeth on his own?

At about a year old, babies show interest and try to brush their teeth on their own. Do the procedure without outside help maybe by two years. Most the right way teach child hygiene - own example. Therefore, it is better to go to the bathroom with your child.

Another assistant in mastering the skill is a mirror. Children love to look at themselves in reflection. And the child will be able to control his movements independently.

For the little ones, you can choose a nursery rhyme, song or counting rhyme. You can come up with a game in which the brush will act as a teeth saver. Or take your favorite toy with you, who will also need to brush her teeth.

To practice and consolidate the skill, you can organize an intra-family speed competition. Whoever copes with cleaning faster wins. Needless to say, it’s better for parents to give in.

If your child won't let you brush your teeth

Some children are afraid of this hygiene procedure. This may happen due to starting training too late. The question is, when should you start brushing your child’s teeth?, has already been decided. Or he is simply not interested in this event.

But force little man still fraught major complications. You need to get used to brushing your teeth correctly:

1. turn the procedure into a game. It’s possible even with competitive elements.
2. Tell your child about the consequences of not brushing your teeth. You can come up with a fairy tale.
3. Organize a trip to the dentist and show sick and healthy teeth on mock-ups.
4. Let the child choose his own toothbrush and toothpaste, and you will only help him with this.
5. You can find a cartoon on this topic.

How else can you protect your child's teeth?

The main enemy for children's, and not only, teeth is sugar. Once in the mouth, it begins to destroy the enamel. It can recover within a few hours. But if the baby constantly eats something sweet, then she doesn’t have time.

Therefore, it is also necessary to eat sweets at a certain time. It is advisable that the break be several hours. The ideal option is to give sweetness after a meal.

For snacks, give preference to vegetables or cheese.

To maintain healthy teeth, you must follow some rules:

• give as a drink to very young children breast milk or mixture and boiled chilled water;
• You should not get carried away with sweet juices and carbonated drinks, as they contain a lot of sugar;
• from the age of 6 months you can start your baby drinking from a glass, and at the age of one year try to wean him off bottles and pacifiers;
• With early childhood needs to be taught to be balanced healthy eating. For encouragement it is better to choose healthy vegetables or fruits instead of sweets;
• It is better to choose ready-made baby purees without sugar content. When preparing, also try to reduce its use;
• sugar substitutes such as glucose and fructose are also harmful to teeth;
• When choosing medications, it is better to give preference to those that do not contain sugar.

“Cleanliness is the key to health”. And especially the cleanliness of teeth. Therefore, you should not be lazy and teach your child to brush their teeth correctly and regularly. It is important to visit the dentist at least 1-2 times a year. This is a must after changing teeth.

Carrying out oral hygiene in a child under one year old is not easy, but necessary procedure to prevent diseases. Following simple rules will help ensure your baby's health in the future. How to properly care for a baby's first teeth?

Should a child under one year old need to brush their teeth?

There is an opinion that baby teeth do not need care. Young mothers are wondering whether a child under one year old should brush their teeth? The answer will be - of course, yes!

Prevention of oral diseases in infants under one year of age includes:

• visiting the dentist;
• healthy eating;
• Regular brushing of teeth using suitable hygiene products.

The need for teeth cleaning in infants is due to the following:

• Low mineralization of the first teeth - in 4-6 months, temporary teeth erupt, which absorb the necessary microelements throughout the whole year.
• Infant formulas and complementary foods contain carbohydrates, and microorganisms are always present in the oral cavity.

In the presence of these factors, a carious process occurs.

You can start brushing your baby’s teeth without the help of special products. You can use a gauze bandage to clean the gums and first teeth. To do this, you need to make a tampon, moisten it in boiled water and wipe the oral cavity.

When teeth appear, gingivitis, eruption, the tampon can be moistened with a decoction medicinal herbs. Chamomile, oak bark, sage, lemon balm, St. John's wort have many beneficial properties and will not harm the baby. This type of care is recommended for initial stages, then it is better to use special means hygiene.

Oral hygiene products for babies

Dental wipes are an excellent care product not only for teeth, but for the entire oral cavity. They contain an antiseptic and have a pleasant fruity taste. These wipes can be used from birth. The downside is the high cost.

From the moment baby teeth erupt until the first year of life, a young mother can clean with a finger brush. For infants, the finger brush has a special atraumatic surface and soft fibers for delicate cleaning of teeth. Can also be used to massage the gums.

Using a toothbrush for children under one year of age is ineffective for cleaning; children cannot yet do correct movements. But this is very good for developing the habit of regular care. These brushes have a comfortable short handle and a small head with soft bristles.

After the first year of life, you can teach your baby to brush his teeth with toothpaste. To care for teeth in infants, there are toothpastes, gels, and foams. They gently cleanse teeth and contain useful material, are safe if swallowed. Depending on the situation in the oral cavity, you can choose teething pastes to lift local immunity or strengthening tooth enamel.

From a very young age, your child should be taught to brush their teeth correctly. The procedure should be carried out 2 times a day: after breakfast and before bedtime. Brushing your teeth should take 2-3 minutes, but for children you can do the procedure faster. It is important to correctly explain the rules of hygiene:

• hold the brush at an angle of 45 degrees to the teeth;
• brush your teeth on all sides one at a time;
• on the inside and outer surface carry out “sweeping” movements;
• Make circular movements on the chewing surface;
• clean the tongue reverse side brushes (if there is a rough surface for the tongue).

To interest your baby in the process, you can put a mirror in front of him and teach him to practice independent hygiene. The mother should brush her own teeth, and the child should brush his own. After brushing the mouth, praise your baby.

Improper dental care in children: consequences, complications

Even for the little ones, neglecting oral care can cause serious illnesses - multiple caries, then pulpitis and periodontitis. In the case of the latter, the germ of a permanent tooth may be damaged.

In the absence of hygiene, the risk of diseases of the mucous membrane increases - gingivitis and stomatitis.

Healthy primary teeth promote proper development jaws, facial skeleton, bite formation.

It is necessary to brush teeth and teach children hygiene. This will prevent complications and ensure the health of the whole body in the future.

Liana Mokhtari, dentist, especially for the site

Useful video

You should think about issues of oral hygiene in a child when your baby is already 6–7 months old, at which time the first teeth are erupting. From now on, you can start brushing your child’s teeth after eating. To do this, simply wipe them with a cloth moistened with boiled water. Thus, the child gets used to the feeling of a clean mouth. Around the age of one year, your child can start brushing their teeth with fluoride-free children's toothpaste.

How to brush your one-year-old child's teeth?

Understanding how to properly brush children's teeth is very important. When using baby paste, don’t worry if your child swallows it—it’s tasty and harmless. However, make sure that this does not become a habit for him. When you start brushing your child's teeth, be careful. Remember that his gums are still very soft and his teeth are fragile, so choose toothbrushes for children only with soft bristles. Its head should not cover more than two teeth.

Practicing the technique

As in adults, when cleansing external and internal surfaces The toothbrush is positioned at an angle of 45 degrees to the tooth and sweeping movements are made from the gums to the edge of the tooth. To clean the chewing surface, the brush is positioned horizontally and moved in a circular motion. If you are afraid of overdoing it, watch the video on how to brush your teeth properly. They will explain and clearly demonstrate to you how it should be. The whole family can watch this video on how to brush your child’s teeth. In addition, your baby will also be interested in watching a cartoon about how other children brush their teeth.

How to teach a child to brush his teeth voluntarily?

When you start brushing your child's teeth, tell him how useful it is. this procedure for his teeth. If the child’s fear or reluctance does not go away, look at the pictures together on how to brush your teeth correctly. Illustrative examples They convince better than words. While brushing, to prevent your child from being capricious, you can play the game “Who can brush their teeth the longest” with him. If the game becomes truly exciting, the child himself will wait for the time when he needs to brush his teeth. Learn independently hygiene procedures the child begins at the age of two years. Using your own example, explain and show how to brush your teeth correctly. Take advantage of the fact that at this age children are happy to repeat the movements of adults and imitate them. Also, do not forget that you need to brush your child’s teeth in the morning and in the evening.

How long should you brush your teeth?

It is enough to brush baby teeth for 2 – 3 minutes. This is the norm for both adults and children. If your child cannot stand it for that long, try to turn brushing your teeth into a game, as described above, since simple coaxing is unlikely to help. In order for the child to have only pleasant impressions of the procedure, try doing it, say, to children's songs. Also try to explain how many times a day you should brush your teeth. Try to cultivate in your child the desire to take care of their teeth; in the future this will undoubtedly have a beneficial effect not only on their beauty, but also on their health.

Regular and thorough brushing of children's teeth - important point in the prevention of caries and its complications. But don’t forget about professional hygienic cleaning to avoid bad breath in children, yellow plaque and tartar that cannot be removed on your own. In addition, professional hygiene helps the effectiveness of wearing braces by adolescents, diagnosing childhood caries on initial stage its development, which is also important for the health of baby teeth.

Most mothers and fathers flippantly believe that their children's baby teeth do not need daily cleaning because they will soon fall out. This opinion is completely wrong.

The fact is that baby teeth are much more susceptible to caries, so caring for them directly affects the condition of permanent teeth that have not yet left the jaw.

Due to improper oral hygiene, a child’s permanent teeth may erupt when they are already sick.

Features of cleansing the oral cavity in young children

Children usually develop their first teeth by six months of age. And from this moment on, parents should begin to pay attention to the processes of brushing the baby’s teeth and oral cavity.

Infants

First, instead of a brush, you should use a bandage wrapped around your finger and soaked in plain water. boiled water. With its help, you need to clean the baby’s mouth every time after he eats.

From 9 months

A little later, when the baby is ten months old, you can start using a special silicone toothbrush that fits on the parent’s finger. You need to brush your teeth with it at least twice a day.

From 1 year

When your child is one year old, you can buy him his first toothbrush with soft synthetic bristles and begin to teach him to be independent.

A toothbrush for a one-year-old baby should have a rounded head and bristles of different lengths for more effective care behind the oral cavity.

Children aged 1 year and older should devote time to oral care every day at least twice a day, and if the baby does not resist this innovation, then it can be done more often.

From 2 years

You can start using toothpaste from the age of two. When choosing, pay Special attention its composition: for babies it is better to purchase hypoallergenic baby toothpaste. Also usually indicated on the tube is the age recommended for use of the paste it contains.

At first, the parents themselves will have to brush the baby’s teeth in order to show him how and for how long he should brush his teeth with a brush, how to clean his tongue, rinse his mouth and spit out the toothpaste.

When parents are sure that the baby is ready for independent brushing, you can begin to trust your child with a toothbrush for independent use, but again under the strict supervision of mom and dad.

Instructions for brushing teeth for a one-year-old baby

As we have already found out, starting from the age of one year, children need daily oral hygiene.

In order to understand how to brush the teeth of a one-year-old child, just follow the following instructions:

1. Wet your baby's toothbrush with water.
2. Clean the surface of your teeth and the spaces between them with a brush. You should move the baby's teeth in a circular motion, positioning the brush at an angle of 45 degrees. Movements should be soft and delicate. You should brush your baby’s teeth from the gums upward, using “sweeping” movements.
3. Clean plaque from your tongue and gums that do not yet have teeth.
4. Gradually, you should accustom your baby to rinsing his mouth and spitting water. After he learns to do this, he should move on to using toothpaste.

During the procedure, explain to your baby why it is important to do this every day. If the baby tries to use the toothbrush on his own, do not resist it, but rather use his hand to show him how to do it correctly.

Cleaning time should not take more than three minutes, because the child may become very bored with this activity, and next time you will have difficulty persuading him to do this procedure.

What to do if your child doesn’t like brushing his teeth?

Sometimes it happens that the child does not like this process, and all the parents’ explanations about the need to brush their teeth do not help.

In this case, you can use several tricks:

1. Show your child personal example. Many children strive to do everything like mom or dad, so they will be happy to imitate you in this matter.
2. Stop the process of brushing your teeth into play. You can also involve your baby’s favorite toy in this activity, telling you that removing plaque and food debris from the mouth is important for absolutely everyone.
3. Buy your baby a bright toothbrush or toothpaste with a pleasant smell.
4. Try to make sure that your baby sees himself in the mirror during oral hygiene.
5. Choose a series of cartoons for your child about what will happen if you don’t brush your teeth.