When Should a Child Start Flossing
At the award winning newmarket dental office, All Smiles Dental Newmarket, they know that your children’s teeth are a precious commodity and flossing should begin as soon as there are 2 teeth that fit together closely. At their dental office the team of Newmarket dentist always suggest that parents can floss their young infant’s teeth. Do this until the child gets old enough to floss on his own. It’s a good idea for a parent to get the child into the habit of flossing at an early age since this oral health routine can become a habit for the rest of the child’s life. The team of Newmarket dentist places a lot of emphasis on the importance of having parental involvement when it comes to dental health.
When you start working on the baby teeth, the habit of flossing is already formed and it becomes second nature to floss the permanent teeth. Look for a floss that is flexible and soft so it doesn’t hurt their gums.
How to Floss the Teeth in Infants
One of the easiest ways to floss your child’s teeth is to have him lay down with his head in your lap. You may want to sit down comfortably on a couch so that he can stretch out fully. Take approximately 18 inches of dental floss and wrap it loosely around both middle fingers. There should be about an inch of floss between the 2 fingers. Slide the floss gently down between the teeth using your index fingers and thumbs to keep the floss taut. Use gentle motions to clean the teeth to avoid irritating the gums. If you need help with all this you can visit your newmarket dentists.
The floss should be curved around each separate tooth, much like a ‘C’ shape. Move the floss up and down working on the sides of the teeth and gently reach below the gum line. As you move from one tooth to the next, unroll a new, clean section of the floss. Don’t be surprised if the gums start to bleed slightly especially when you are first getting started. The gums will toughen up very quickly as they get used to the flossing experience.
Once the child is old enough to floss his own teeth, he should be aloud to do it. You can try introducing him to the small individual plastic flossers that are currently on the market.
If it’s time for your child’s first dental visit, or if you have any concerns about your child’s teeth, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (905) 235-6999. You can also feel free to visit our website at www.allsmilesdentalcentres.ca to learn more about our friendly staff and our wide range of services offered in Newmarket, Aurora, and Bradford areas.
