Never underestimate the importance of good brushing for young children. Negligence can lead to painful decay which will cause you and your child immense anxiety. So start young and allow them to develop good habit.
You can start brushing for your little one as soon as her first teeth appear which can be as early as 4months old. Being a caregiver, emphasize more at bedtime brushing because that’s when food left in the mouth can turn into plaque and eventually tartar. Hence, it is always good to do the brushing for your child at bedtime. As for morning brush, you can eventually leave it to your child to ‘practice’ and master the skills of brushing her own teeth. Your child can now learn to exert the amount of strength and learn to maneuver using her toothbrush.
Essential Practice in Dental Care
1. It happens all the time. Limit sweetened food and drink because these are the main culprit in causing tooth decay.
2. Given their tender gums, little children need soft bristle brushes. Using soft bristles brushes reduces the tendencies of hurting gums which makes brushing time more enjoyable. This can avoid missing those hard to reach edges.
3. Usually young children have well spaced tooth which reduces the chances of food being trapped in between. Now, as they grow older, these gaps will tend to close up and the need to use dental floss arises. They may start using at the age of 4 onwards with your supervision.
4. Try diluting mouth rinse for a start to see if your child can accept mouth gargle. Your little one must be capable of gargle and spitting it so as to prevent accidental swallow.
5. Never miss your child’s dental appointment. Bring your child there every 6 months for professional care. You may make appointment with the school dentist centre at Health Promotion Board. They are specialized children dentist and are well trained to handle little children. Rest assured, your child will be distracted during the treatment and before they knew it, the treatment is over. Subsidizes rates available for Singapore citizen and normal check up would only cost you $9. Call 6435 3782 two months ahead for an appointment.
Justina Wang
