Perhaps you have wondered when you should let your kids brush their own teeth and not have them leave slimy plague on their teeth. There is no specific age when kids start brushing, some can start early and others start late.

The question of when kids can start brushing their teeth was studied by two researchers who found that children around age 5 only brush 25 percent of the surface on their teeth, around age of 11, kids brush about 50 percent of the surface of their teeth while 18-22-year-olds brush only up to 67 percent of the surface of their teeth. This shows that, as kids grow older, they brush better.

According to science, as kids grow older, they develop a better eye hand condition. However, it is also argued that with time, kids develop better brushing techniques and hence brush better. This is why a five-year old can be taught to brush and end up brushing better than a 10-year-old.

Kids Dental Care

The best cosmetic dentist and any good dentist will tell you that kids dental care starts the moment the first tooth appears. The fact that you cannot see the teeth on the gums of your baby does not mean they are not there. Teeth form in the second trimester; during this time, there are 20 well-developed teeth in the jaw.

Even before the kid can learn how to brush their own teeth, you need to run a clean cloth on the gum to remove any bacteria that may be on the gums. When your kid’s teeth develop, you need to start brushing them with an infant toothbrush with water and fluoride. The fluoride should be as small as a grain of rice. This ensures that the toothpaste swallowed is not a lot.

When the teeth touch, you can start flossing the teeth. At age 2, your kid should start learning how to spit the toothpaste. The kid should spit the toothpaste before you give them any water. At age three, increase the amount of fluoride toothpaste to pea-size. At this age, your kid can start learning how to use a brush. However, even when they appear like they know how to brush, you should supervise their brushing to ensure they do not swallow toothpaste.

How important is it for kids to learn how to brush?

Even if you mind your dental hygiene and have the best cosmetic dentist on fast dial, you will one day or many days forget to brush the teeth of your kid. If they learn how to brush their teeth, you can develop a routine for them to brush every day before they sleep.

Kids, just like adults, can develop tooth decay, gingivitis and other dental problems when they get into poor feeding habits. Putting a baby to sleep with a bottle or exposing them to sugary food when soothing them to sleep is detrimental to their teeth. Eating sugary food and sucking all day can cause discoloration of teeth when the enamel is eaten away, a condition referred to as bottle teeth.

Should Kids See a Dentist?

Yes, kids should see a dentist from the day the first tooth develops. There are many child dentists in Sherman Oaks and in Los Angeles. Choose Southland Dental Care for your child. Visits to dentists will help detect any dental problem early. Pediatric dentists will handle any kid dental issue.

So, When Can You Let Your Kid Brush Without Supervision?

You kid will learn how to brush well, without swallowing toothpaste and without leaving some teeth unbrushed, by age 6. However, this is not absolute; some kids will learn how to brush earlier and some will take longer. By age 9, your kid should have learnt how to brush well.

Published On: September 5th, 2017 / Categories: Uncategorized /