How do you and how often do you brush your toddler's teeth? Do you use tooth paste or just a dry brush?

Dental care in young children is something that should always be taken very seriously. Grooming the child and making sure that he or she develops good oral hygiene habits is extremely important for the adult oral health of the person. It is important that parents take an active part in the development of these habits as the children will usually tend to depend on the parents for their health and well being. Moreover, the children are not at an age to be able to fully appreciate and comprehend the problems that will surface with bad dental care. Given that the milk teeth present in the child’s mouth do not have as thick a coat of enamel as permanent teeth makes them more susceptible to damage and infection. As a result, it is much easier for any newly developed bacteria to eat through the coat of enamel and attack the gums and bone. Some factors that will place your child at more of a risk than others when it comes to being affected by cavities include a premature birth, the presence of white or brown spots on the teeth or even if the child’s mouth and teeth are not examined by a dentist on a regular basis.

The most important aspect of cleaning your toddler’s teeth and gums is to be able to remove the plaque that accumulates on the gums. This plaque is a combination of bacteria, debris and mucous. Cleaning the mouth of any additional plaque build up provides the child with a clean feeling in the mouth  something that he o she will usually try and maintain by brushing his or her teeth on a regular basis.  The first few times you brush your toddler’s teeth may be quite painful because of the tantrums you are going to have to deal with, but it is very important that you brush the teeth in order to reduce the amount of plaque causing bacteria within the mouth. The toddler’s teeth should ideally be brushed twice a day, with the help of a fluoride paste and be brushed in a gentle circular motion for best results. When choosing the best toothpaste, be careful to avoid ones that have too much fluoride content as they are known to increase likelihood of toot decay. It is also highly important that you reduce the frequency with which the child consumes liquids such as fruit juices, aerated waters and any sugary drinks as they tend to expedite tooth decay.

Submitted by P T on March 3, 2010 at 12:25

Read more questions in Toddler Illness