Choosing the right toothbrush for your baby
The choice of children's toothbrushes is now enormously large - for every taste and color. The question is to choose the right one for your baby. What should be a children's toothbrush?
Content
Matching the age of the child
First of all, the toothbrush must be appropriate for the age of the child. As a rule, this is indicated on the package. And you can consider not only the classic manual brushes, but also electric. For example, Oral-b stages power suitable for children from 3 years old, Oral-b junior - from 6 years old.
Regardless of the age of the baby, it is necessary that the working part of the brush - the head - be as small as possible. The smaller the head, the easier it is to maneuver it in the oral cavity. By the way, Oral-B children's electric brushes are good just with a small round nozzle, which, firstly, evenly cleans every tooth from all sides, and secondly, due to its shape eliminates the possibility of injury to enamel and gums.
Oral-b stages power
Oral-b junior
What should be the bristles on a children's toothbrush
The next item is the bristles. They should be soft. Many parents believe that the harder the bristles, the less plaque will remain after using such a brush. This opinion is not only erroneous, but also quite dangerous. The use of hard bristles for cleansing milk teeth leads to enamel abrasion and increased tooth sensitivity, which causes discomfort in the child during brushing and even while eating.
What should be the handle of a children's toothbrush
The handle of the children's toothbrush must have anatomical shapeso that it is convenient for the child to keep it for 2 minutes (this is exactly the time for brushing your teeth is considered the most correct). It will be an additional plus if the handle is also rubberized. In this case, she will not slip out. In preschool children, manual skills are not so well developed, therefore this criterion is especially important for children under 6-7 years of age.
The importance of proper brushing of children's teeth
Even the best brush in the world needs to be able to use. This applies even to electric brushes, which in general greatly simplify the task. Best of all, of course, if the dentist shows the right cleaning technique. At the consultation, you can ask the doctor specific questions about the state of the child’s oral cavity and learn how to brush the child’s teeth, gradually accustoming him to this. In addition, the doctor will tell and show how to properly clean the interdental spaces using dental floss, which is also important for the prevention of decay of milk teeth, and later permanent. It is advisable that up to 8-9 years old parents control and help children brush their teeth, possibly even cleaning them somewhere.
The importance of visiting a pediatric dentist
It is important to visit a pediatric dentist every 3 months to monitor the condition of the child's oral cavity and identify problems at an early stage. Moreover, children whose parents from an early age take them to the dentist for preventive examinations respond much more calmly to these visits than those who are in the dentist's chair for acute pain.In addition, the doctor from time to time conducts professional oral hygiene, not only saving the baby from plaque and preventing tooth decay, but also gradually adapting the small patient to rotating and buzzing instruments.
Benefits of Electric Toothbrushes for Kids
Even at home, the child can be gradually adapted to the tools found at the dentist. I note that those patients who clean their teeth with an electric brush are much less likely to be afraid of dental instruments.
Moreover, I recommend an electric brush to children from 3 years for more effective cleansing of the tooth surface. One of the important advantages of an electric brush is pressure control. Excessive brushing pressure on the teeth and gums during brushing often leads to enamel cracks, increased sensitivity of the teeth, and pain in the gums. By the way, as for the gums, the electric brush will be doubly useful if there is a problem with them. Vibration creates a massage effect that improves the microcirculation of capillaries and prevents the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.
Such a brush can be indispensable for adolescents and for children undergoing orthodontic treatment. Oral-B electric brushes can be used in conjunction with smartphone applications - Magic Timer and Oral-B App, thanks to which any brushing can be turned into a game that captivates even the most lazy child.
However, even if you do not yet have an electric brush, this is not a reason to make the procedure boring. Toothbrushing can be turned into a fun family tradition or competition for the best toothbrushing, and also to please the child with pleasant surprises for achievements in oral care.
Take care of the baby’s baby teeth so that you don’t have to treat permanent teeth!
