Do I need to brush my child's first teeth? When to start brushing your child's teeth and how to teach. The child refuses to brush his teeth, what to do

The key to success when communicating with others is a healthy smile. Therefore, daily oral care is essential. And not only because healthy white teeth are beautiful. Their diseases can cause malaise and internal organs. That is why it is necessary to start caring from the very first milk tooth. It is important not only when to start brushing your baby's teeth, but also how to do it correctly.

Why should a kid brush his teeth?

Many parents when answering a question When you start brushing your child's teeth, it is still mistakenly believed that baby teeth do not need care. They will still fall out and in their place will grow permanent, which already need to be monitored to the maximum. But this misconception is very dangerous for a number of reasons:

Brushing baby teeth is especially important for children, because:

they not only ensure constant correct growth, but also form the correct bite;
they are directly involved in the formation of the bones of the skull and, therefore, the face;
if you do not brush your teeth, bacteria from food can enter the stomach and cause serious illness;
improper and inconsistent care of baby teeth can cause the development of caries and permanent ones;
you can instill in your baby a sense of neatness and respect for health.

When parents understand the importance of the process, they start to worry about another question - when to start? There is only one answer to this question - when does the first tooth appear?.

Although during the eruption, the child's immunity is weakened. And microcracks form in the gums, through which an infection can be injected.

But many dentists agree that it is necessary to care for the oral cavity from an early age, before teeth appear. This is due to the fact that with food, microorganisms and bacteria get into the child's oral cavity, which accumulate there. In addition, the manipulations carried out will quickly accustom the child to the necessary procedure for brushing teeth. Yes, and the gums due to daily massage will be more prepared for teething. Therefore, the most suitable age is 3-4 months.

How to properly brush the teeth of a one-year-old child?

In a year, the baby can already be offered to use a baby brush with a long handle for cleaning. But parents do not all know how to brush the teeth of a one-year-old child correctly. Because of this, thin tooth enamel may suffer, and caries may begin.

The cleaning procedure must be carried out very gently so as not to damage the enamel. But at the same time carefully to prevent the accumulation of caries-causing bacteria.

A few tips for parents on how to brush your child's teeth per year:

Oral Care Products

When you have decided how to brush your children’s teeth and when to start, it’s time to find the necessary tools. When a baby has no teeth then he doesn't need a toothbrush. But it is necessary to take care of the oral cavity, as we have already found out. Moms use different means:

Additionally, you can use a special baby paste with the brush. For babies who have not yet been introduced to complementary foods, it is necessary to choose a gel-like paste that has a light milky or neutral taste.

For kids, who have already tried the attachment m you can use a special fruit-flavored paste.

Parents are often interested in the question at what age to brush their child's teeth with a toothbrush. After all, the choice of a toothbrush depends not only from the presence of teeth, but also from age:

Electric toothbrushes are especially popular with children. This is very good, because they clean the oral cavity effectively. And children do not need to be reminded once again... But it is worth remembering that this is an electrical mechanism and requires careful handling. Therefore, children under 5-6 years old should not buy such gadgets.

When choosing a children's toothbrush, it is necessary to pay attention not only to quality and safety, but also to convenience. Until 3-4 years old, it should be convenient to hold it not for a child, but for an adult. After all, it is the dad or mom who will clean the baby's first teeth. For training, you can buy a separate brush for your child. It is worth remembering that the child is not able to carry out the procedure efficiently.

For children, the appearance of the brush is undoubtedly important... And when choosing, parents should pay attention to the brush head and bristles. The latter should be flat and moderately soft, take its original position when pressed. The plastic part of the brush must be free of serrations.

Even if the manufacturer writes otherwise, it is necessary to change the toothbrush at least once every two months. Store it open and dry.

But how to properly brush teeth for children without toothpaste? Of course, all parents want to reduce the amount of chemistry that gets into the baby's body. But toothpaste is not something to be discarded. After all, a brush without paste is ineffective. And it can even harm the enamel. So, if you can't be, you need to learn to choose the least dangerous one.

The most important thing when choosing a toothpaste is its composition. It should be free of sodium lauryl sulfate, phosphates, dyes, parabens, fragrances and antiseptics. It is better to choose a drug for the little ones. It is safe to swallow and contains no harmful substances. There may be 0+ marking on the package.

The amount of toothpaste is also important. A pea quantity is suitable for preschoolers. But if the child still does not know how to rinse his mouth, then no more than a grain of rice is recommended.

How to teach a child to brush their teeth on their own?

For about a year, babies show interest and try to brush their teeth on their own. To do the procedure without assistance can already be two years old. The surest way to teach hygiene to a child is by example. Therefore, it is better to go to the bathroom with the child.

Another assistant in mastering the skill is the mirror. Children love to look at themselves in reflection. And the child will be able to control his movements on his own.

For the little ones, you can pick up a nursery rhyme, a song or a counting rhyme. You can think of a game in which the brush will act as a tooth rescuer. Or take your favorite toy with you who will also need to brush her teeth.

To practice and consolidate the skill, you can arrange an intra-family speed competition. Whoever copes with the cleaning faster won. Needless to say, parents are better off giving in.

If the child does not allow to brush his teeth

Some children are afraid of this hygiene procedure. This can happen due to the fact that training started too late. After all, the question is when to start brushing your child's teeth, has already been resolved. Or he is simply not interested in this event.

But forcing a small person is fraught with even greater complications. You need to get used to brushing your teeth correctly:

turn the procedure into a game. It is even possible with competitive elements.
Tell your baby about the consequences if your teeth are not brushed. You can think of a fairy tale.
Organize a visit to the dentist and show sick and healthy teeth on the models.
Let the child choose his own toothbrush and paste, and you will only help him with this.
You can find a cartoon on this topic.

How else can you protect your child's teeth?

The main enemy for children, and not only teeth, is sugar. Once in the mouth, it begins to destroy the enamel. She can recover within a few hours.... But if the baby is constantly eating something sweet, then she does not have time.

Therefore, it is also necessary to eat sweets at a certain time. It is desirable that the break be several hours. The ideal option is to give sweetness after a meal.

For snacks, give preference to vegetables or cheese.

To preserve healthy teeth, certain rules must be followed:

give breast milk or formula and boiled chilled water to very young children as a drink;
you should not get carried away with sweet juices and carbonated drinks, since they have a lot of sugar;
from the age of 6 months, you can start drinking from a glass, and in a year try to wean off bottles and pacifiers;
from early childhood, you need to accustom yourself to a balanced healthy diet. For encouragement, it is better to choose healthy vegetables or fruits instead of sweets;
It is better to choose ready-made baby purees without sugar content. When preparing, also try to reduce its use;
sugar substitutes such as glucose and fructose are also harmful to the teeth;
when choosing medicines, it is better to give preference to those in which there is no sugar.

"Cleanliness is the key to health"... And especially the cleanliness of the teeth. Therefore, do not be lazy and teach your child how to properly and regularly brush your teeth. It is important to visit your dentist at least 1-2 times a year. This is a must after changing teeth.

It's no secret that proper cleaning is the guarantor of the health of the dentition. Dentists insist to start carrying out oral care activities from birth.

The means and methods of cleansing used for this for children of different ages are different. So at what age do children begin to brush their teeth and how to do it correctly - we will analyze in this article.

What is the reason for the need for this procedure?

According to dental clinics, more than 90% of children need the help of a dentist. Of this number, 60% of children have not reached the age of seven. The saddest fact is that this includes children of three years old, and their number is only growing.

One of the main problems dentists determine is poor or untimely started oral hygiene. Often, parents treat temporary teeth as a rapidly passing phenomenon, and therefore do not pay due attention to cleaning them.

Such negligence leads to the fact that temporary crowns are affected by caries. Pathology can spread to the rudiments of permanent teeth, leading to their death.

The correct functioning of the stomach also depends on the condition of the crowns, as caries is often accompanied by pain, which is why the child does not normally chew food.

Poor hygiene can also be the cause of gum and oral mucosa diseases. Periodontal pathologies provoke premature tooth loss... This leads to the development of an abnormal bite, distortion of facial features, impaired pronunciation of sounds.

Caring for the oral cavity before the eruption of the first teeth

Photo: Silicone fingertip for baby teeth care

When talking about early oral care, parents often mean the period when the first teeth appear. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true.

Oral hygiene should be started even before the first milk tooth appears.... This is a good prevention of candidiasis, minimizing the possibility of inflammation during the eruption of crowns.

As a rule, such activities begin to be carried out from the third month of a little person's life. Care in this period consists in removing food debris and decay products from the gums, tongue, mucous membrane at least twice a day.

The optimal amount of cleansing is immediately after a meal. For this, special means are used.

Dental wipes

Used to cleanse the mouth of children from 2 months to 6 years old... They have high cleansing qualities due to a special impregnation based on xylitol. It is a powerful antiseptic that is completely safe for the health of children.

In addition to this component, the impregnation composition includes various extracts of calendula, chamomile- effective anti-inflammatory drugs.

The napkins come in a variety of flavors and shapes. You can purchase napkins in a standard shape or in the form of a fingertip.

Only a new tissue is used for each treatment. With all the positiveness of dental wipes, they have a significant drawback - their high cost.

Gauze swab

It is an affordable option for cleansing the oral mucosa. You can use a medical bandage to make a tampon.

Before cleaning, it is necessary to form a tampon, moisten it in boiled warm water and gently wipe the inner surface of the cheeks, gums, tongue, palate. For these purposes, cotton wool cannot be used, since it does not remove plaque well and can leave fibers on the surface.

For the prevention of dental diseases, at least once a week, it is required to wipe the oral cavity with a swab moistened with a solution of baking soda.

Features of the procedure by children of different ages

Cleaning the oral cavity in children of different age groups is significantly different. According to the features of the technologies used and the means used, teeth cleaning is conventionally divided into two periods: temporary teeth and permanent ones.

Cleaning the oral cavity during the period of deciduous teeth

For oral hygiene during the period of milk teeth, it is necessary to choose the right toothbrush. For children under one year old, the crowns are cleaned once a day using a special silicone brush, which is easily put on the index finger of an adult.

After a year, use a children's brush with rubber fibers and a stopper located on the handle twice a day.

From the age of three, you can use a standard children's brush with very soft bristles. The working surface should be no more than 25 mm or cover only 2 crowns. The handle requires rubberized inserts to prevent slipping.

Teaching to brush your teeth is carried out in several stages:

up to a year, all the manipulations carried out are aimed at getting used to the toothbrush and the cleaning regime;
from 1 to 3 years old, the correct movements are practiced;
from the age of 3, the skills of thorough cleaning are developed.

Milk-type teeth cleaning is carried out by parents or under their strict control according to a certain technology:

a minimum amount of paste is applied to the moistened brush. For children under 5 years old, a strip of paste about 0.5 cm is enough;
bring the brush at right angles to the outer surface of the crown;
the enamel is cleaned by careful sweeping upward movements;
the same is done with the inner surface of the crown, only the brush is in this case at an angle of 45 ° C;
finally, the cutting part is processed;
for each surface, at least 15 movements should be carried out;
thus, the entire dentition is cleansed. The time taken for this procedure should take about two minutes;
after the process, the mouth is thoroughly rinsed.

Children's enamel is very sensitive, and the gums are vulnerable, so cleaning should be done without pressure and active movements.

Cleaning during the period of changing milk teeth to permanent

During this time, you can use standard type brushes with soft or medium bristles. The procedure for cleaning teeth must be carried out at least twice a day for three minutes.

The change of teeth begins from about 6 years old, when the enamel is sufficiently formed, and the child precisely controls his movements. That is why, for this period, dentists offer several cleaning technologies for the child's choice.

The most popular ones are:

Classic... The brush is positioned at an acute angle to the surface of the crowns. Cleansing is carried out in a circular motion from left to right.
Leonardo technology... The brush is directed perpendicular to the surface of the crown to be treated and moves from the gum line to the cutting part. Then the chewing surface is treated with a back and forth movement.
Bass technology... The brush vibrates the enamel at an acute angle for all surfaces.
Fones technology... In this case, the brush makes circular movements of a translational nature. It should be borne in mind that this method is contraindicated in inflammation of the periodontal tissue.

How to choose the right paste?

Incorrectly selected toothpaste can harm not only the crowns, but also the health of the child. What should you focus on when choosing it? The fundamental parameter is the age of the child.

Children from 14 years old use adult paste. For other age periods, there are certain criteria: the amount of abrasive, the presence of fluorides, fragrances, dyes.

For this, these funds were divided into categories:

pastes for children under 4 years old... The abrasive content (RDA) here should not exceed 20 units, fluorine - 200 ppm. The complete absence of fluorides is not excluded. The packaging may contain information about the safety when swallowing the product;
pasta for children 4–8 years old... Combines high cleansing qualities with anti-inflammatory properties. Their abrasiveness is 50 units, the content of fluorides is not more than 500 ppm;
pasta for children 8-14 years old... They are characterized by a high fluorine content - 1400 ppm. The abrasive component remains at the same level - 50 units.

Regardless of age, when choosing a paste, you should pay attention to the components of the composition. For children, the following components should be used:

titanium dioxide or silicon dioxide is added as an abrasive. They are less aggressive to enamel than calcium or sodium carbonate;
for a small child, it is best to use a fluoride-free paste, since this toxic substance can accumulate in the body, affecting the functioning of organs;
choose a product without antibacterial components: chlorhexidine, triclosan, metronidazole. Such pastes can only be used on the recommendation of a dentist;
use sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) as the blowing agent. You can use pastes without a foaming component;
Natural substances - pectins - should act as thickeners for children's pastes.

What if children don't want to take care of their oral hygiene?

Often, brushing a child's teeth becomes an overwhelming task for adults. Children try to avoid this procedure, they perform it poorly. What to do in this case?

Experts offer several ways to fix this problem:

The main factor in the healthy development of children's teeth is proper oral hygiene. Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure.

Therefore, prevention with a brush and paste should be an integral part of every child's self-care.

In the next video, the answer to the question at what age you can start brushing your child's teeth will be given by Dr. Komarovsky:

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.

The first teeth in children appear at the age of 6-9 months - 2 upper and 2 lower incisors, in some cases the first tooth occurs earlier, in other babies - closer to one year of age.

Before you brush your teeth for a child under one year old, you need to know some rules:

The teeth must be cleaned 2 times a day: in the morning and in the evening, at the same time: this will help teach the baby to observe a hygienic regime.
It is necessary to brush not only the teeth, but also the gums, tongue and mucous membrane on the inner side of the cheek.
The gums are massaged with gentle circular movements, in the same way you need to process the inner surface of the teeth.
The front surface of the tooth is cleaned from the gum to the incisal edge.
A ball of pasta should be no larger than a pea in size.

The total time for brushing your teeth is 2-3 minutes, after which you need to rinse your mouth with clean, moderately warm water. A child aged one and a half years old should be taught to rinse his mouth after each meal.

When and how to start brushing your teeth?

Care of the gums and oral cavity is required from the first days of life: microorganisms accumulate on the mucous membrane of the cheeks and tongue, including the yeast-like fungus Candida, which provokes the oral cavity in children of the first year of life.

To clean the oral cavity of an infant up to one year old, you can use:

Gauze moistened with warm boiled water - can be used from the first days of life.
Special napkins that are worn on the finger. They are produced by different companies and come with different tastes and without. These wipes contain xylitol, a disinfectant that removes microorganisms from the oral cavity.
Soft silicone fingertip brushes can be used starting from six months: during this period, the tops of the incisors are shown, the gums around them are injured and the risk of infection is high, but the baby still cannot hold the brush himself.
A children's toothbrush for self-cleaning will be needed when the baby is a year and a half.

There are special toothbrushes and toothpaste for children.

Toothbrush requirements

A toothbrush for children under one year old must comply with several rules:

The villi must be made of artificial fiber.
The bristles should be soft so as not to scratch the gums.
The handle for a child's toothbrush should be thick and curly to make it pleasant and comfortable for the baby to hold.
It is desirable that the handle is rubberized - with such a coating it will not slip out of your fingers.
The working surface should capture at the same time no more than two teeth, the length of the head is no more than 2-2.5 cm.

Brushes made from natural materials are categorically not recommended for use - pathogenic microorganisms accumulate in natural bristles, which then settle on the mucous membrane, causing and creating the risk of developing more serious diseases.

You can switch to harder brushes from 4-6 years old. There are also special requirements for toothpaste for children.

How to choose a toothpaste for a child?

Toothpaste for babies must obey the following rules:

It should not contain abrasive materials: enamel of milk teeth is easily erased and will be damaged by abrasive particles
There should be no preservatives in the paste for children of the first years of life., as well as components that create abundant foam: they dry out the oral cavity, provoke the development of allergies or the appearance of ulcers on the surface of the mucous membrane
Young children can swallow the paste, therefore, it is necessary to select products that do not contain fluorine
For babies who have not received the first complementary foods, there are special pastes with a milk flavor or without flavorings
For children who receive complementary foods, you can choose a pasta with a fruity taste

When buying a paste, you need to pay attention to its composition. If you have a tendency to allergies, you need to consult a specialist.

The opinion that milk teeth do not have to be cleaned is a mistake, since milk teeth are easily affected.

In addition, the presence of an infection in the oral cavity weakens the body and negatively affects the overall health of the baby.

The child should be taught to brush his teeth in a playful way in order to interest him:

It is better to perform the procedure at the same time in order to develop a habit.
In order to motivate the child, you need to present the learning process in a playful way.
You can brush your teeth with your children - so that they take an example from their parents.
To keep track of the time, you need to use an hourglass or a music timer - this will help keep the child interested.

Brushing your teeth should be supervised by an adult. A child at the age of one and a half teeth must be cleaned with the hand of an adult, since the baby is not able to perform the hygienic procedure with sufficient quality.

Then the first question, for sure, will be "Do you need to brush your teeth in early childhood?" In addition, you will need to figure out what kind of toothbrush and paste can be used for this procedure, how to teach the baby to use these objects in general. All these questions will be answered in the presented material.

At what age should a child brush his teeth

Many mothers underestimate the importance of the procedure in question and start teaching their baby to use a toothbrush late. Pediatricians say that cleaning the mouth and teeth should be started from the moment when the child already has at least one tooth. As a rule, this corresponds to the age of 5-6 months and at this time it is enough to carry out one tooth brushing per day.

Closer to one and a half years, the child will need to be taught how to brush his teeth at least twice a day, and if this procedure does not irritate him, then three.

How to brush your child's teeth

Up to the age of 1 year, the baby needs to clean his teeth and oral cavity with a soft cloth or gauze, which should first be moistened with water. There are special soft rubber brushes on the finger that parents can use.

Closer to the age of one year (10-11 months), the baby can purchase a toothbrush. This item should be selected individually, paying attention to the soft pile - there are toothbrushes on sale that are designed just for the use of babies, they will be the best option. The toothbrush should never injure the gums or enamel on the teeth.

Note:at the age of 3 years, except for a toothbrush, the baby will not need anything else. Toothpastes, gels and powders are prohibited.

In the period of 1-3 years, the baby needs to brush his teeth and clean the entire oral cavity twice / three times a day, moreover, parents should do this. Of course, the child will try to carry out the hygienic procedure himself - it is imperative to immediately teach him how to hold a toothbrush correctly. But technically, it is difficult for a child to clean teeth and clean the oral cavity even at the age of three, so the help of parents will be needed in any case. Just a three-year-old baby can already buy a special, children's toothpaste.

In order not to miss something important in the process of a child's learning to brush their teeth, parents should remember a few simple rules regarding hygiene devices for the oral cavity:

How to choose a toothbrush for a child

Experts say that parents will be able to choose the right toothbrush for their baby if they remember and use the following recommendations:

You cannot buy brushes made of natural bristles - pathogens very quickly multiply on such material. If a child uses just such a toothbrush, stomatitis may develop in the oral cavity.
If you are planning to buy a toothbrush for a child aged 1-3 years, then when choosing, you should pay attention to its handle - it must be strong and thick so that the baby can confidently hold it.
The bristles on the considered hygienic device should be collected in "sections-groups", of which there should be 23 pieces.
A child under 5 years old should only use a very soft toothbrush.
The length of the head of a child's toothbrush should not be more than 23 mm.

Some brands on sale have a full set of the considered hygiene devices: a thimble brush (suitable for a six-month-old baby), with a small head and a thick handle (it will be the best option for a 1-2-year-old child), the largest (will speed up the child's learning process).

We recommend reading:

General principles of proper brushing of teeth for a one-year-old child

As soon as the baby is 1 year old, you need to clean his mouth and teeth with a special brush with a long handle. Pediatricians and pediatric dentists note a bad tendency - parents do not know how, and do not know how to properly brush their children's teeth, which leads to abrasion of enamel and early caries. But it is enough to adhere to a clear algorithm to avoid such problems:

Another important point: Pediatricians and pediatric dentists recommend brushing your baby's teeth for two minutes. This procedure can be unpleasant for the child, he can start to be capricious, but you can find a way out of the situation - for example, buy an hourglass for 2 minutes and invite the child to keep track of the time, or put a two-minute cartoon for watching.

How to teach a child to brush their teeth on their own

Quite often, parents are faced with the fact that the baby flatly refuses to brush his teeth on his own. In this case, you need to turn the process in question into a game! First, you need to buy him a beautiful, bright and unusual toothbrush. In addition to it, it is worth buying a “tasty” toothpaste, but only one that you can swallow. Secondly, you can invite your child to play "cleaners" - whoever cleans his teeth better and more thoroughly will receive a prize (for this, you should stock up on bright stickers, healthy sweets). Thirdly, you can find films on the Internet on how to brush your teeth properly - demonstration of "requirements" in action often positively affects the desires of the baby.

Usually, by the age of 4-5, children can brush their teeth on their own. If the parents taught the child to this hygienic procedure from an early age, then brushing the teeth will become a habitual "event".

What is the need to brush teeth for children

Many parents believe that the child's "milk" teeth are temporary, they do not have any special function: "if they change to permanent ones, then they will need to be cleaned." This is a wrong opinion! It is very important to brush your teeth from an early age and there are several reasons for this:

milk teeth form and ensure the correct growth of permanent teeth;
any teeth are involved in the formation of the bones of the skull, which means they have a great influence on the formation of facial features;
if the teeth are brushed irregularly, then pathogenic bacteria (from the oral cavity into the intestines) will enter the baby's body, which can lead to the development of rather serious pathologies;
if the care of the teeth and the oral cavity goes wrong, it will lead to the development

It's nice to see a child have beautiful healthy teeth. It is important to keep milk teeth healthy, as their caries can subsequently affect the molars. Parents need to understand that it is necessary to properly care for the child's teeth from the moment they appear, and know the main points of caring for the baby's oral cavity.

When to start brushing your little child's teeth

A child needs to start brushing his teeth from the moment they appear. From the beginning of the eruption of the first teeth (usually at the age of 6-8 months), parents need to carefully clean them daily. There is also a popular opinion that you can clean your baby's mouth without waiting for teething. This will help clear up accumulated mucus on the gums and plaque on the tongue. It will also help develop the child's brushing habit. In any case, teeth brushing and oral cavity cleaning should be started before the child reaches the age of one year.

Which toothbrush to choose

At the very initial stages, when the tip of the first tooth has just appeared, or before eruption, you can clean the child's oral cavity without a toothbrush. To clean the oral cavity, you need to wrap your finger with gauze (or make a gauze swab) and moisten it in boiled water. In addition, there are special baby wipes for this procedure. They can be impregnated with a special compound containing an antiseptic, and can also soothe the pain of teething.

With the appearance of two or more teeth, the oral cavity must be cleaned more thoroughly. Until one year old, the child does not know how to hold the brush himself and perform the necessary movements, so it is convenient to use a silicone brush. In addition to delicate cleansing, this brush gently massages the baby's gums.

For children from one to one and a half years old, you can purchase a classic toothbrush. It must meet the following requirements:

Have a short, comfortable handle. On the handle there may be a special stopper that prevents the brush from penetrating deep into the throat. The handle should fit comfortably in the baby's palm and not slip out;
The bristles of a child's toothbrush should preferably be soft to medium hard. Hard bristles can damage your baby's gums. It is better to buy models with an even cut of the bristles so that the pressure is even. It is better to choose a synthetic bristle material, since natural fibers can accumulate bacteria and are damaged faster;
The head of the brush should be rounded, and its cleaning surface should cover two teeth.

A child should not use a toothbrush intended for an adult, as it may not meet the above requirements and, therefore, may cause injury.

The right toothpaste

First of all, the toothpaste should be suitable for the child's age. It is important to understand that adult toothpastes are not suitable for children under 14 years old, the concentration of active ingredients for an adult is higher than for a child, and can be dangerous for a child's body. The main parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing a paste are abrasiveness, fluoride content, content of components that prevent caries. An important point will be the taste and appearance of the tube, especially while teaching the child to consciously and independently brush his teeth.

The abrasiveness of a toothpaste is measured in units and is designated RDA (Radioactive Dentin Abrasion). Small particles of abrasives mechanically act on the enamel, cleaning it from plaque and food debris. The effect on children's enamel should be delicate, therefore, for children under two years of age, abrasives should be absent at all, at the age of 2-4 years should not exceed 20 units, for children 4-6 years old - no more than 50.

Fluoride compounds can be hazardous to children. Pastes intended for children under 2 years of age should not contain fluoride and its compounds. For ages 2–6, do not exceed 500 ppm (ppm is a unit of concentration that indicates how many parts of fluoride ions are in a million). Over 6 years old - about 1400-1500 ppm.

It is good if milk enzymes, casein, and various organic components are present in the composition of children's pasta. Enzymes protect against bacteria and dissolve plaque, casein increases the concentration of calcium and prevents the development of caries, organic substances, such as calcium, help to strengthen the enamel.

The taste and smell of toothpaste should be pleasant to the child, but at the same time it should not be harsh and chemical. Also, the pasta should not taste clearly sweet, so that the baby is not tempted to eat half a tube at once.

How to properly brush teeth for children of different ages (babies, one-year-olds, one and a half-year-olds, etc.)

Dentists believe that parents should brush their teeth for children under 7 years old; under 14 years old, it is necessary to look after how the child brushes his teeth on his own. From the very beginning, you need to brush your teeth twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, for two minutes. You can start with less time for the child to get used to. Children under one year old, whose teeth are cleaned with a silicone fingertip. A finger with a brush is gently inserted into the baby's mouth, the existing teeth are cleaned with gentle movements and the gums are massaged.

At the age of one and a half, when the child can hold the brush himself and make movements with it, you can start brushing your teeth according to the standard method. It is imperative to follow the technique of brushing your teeth. Depending on how the child relates to brushing his teeth, you can let him brush his teeth himself, and then clean it up for an adult, or, conversely, the mother first brushes the baby's teeth, and then he himself. It is very important to follow the cleaning method, it is the same for a one-year-old baby, and for a two-year-old, and for a child older - three, five, six years and older. The difference in toothbrushing by age may differ at the stage of rinsing the mouth after brushing. While the child does not know how to rinse the mouth himself, the mother should gently rinse the mouth with water from the palm of her hand. After the child learns to take water into his mouth, rinse and spit out, he will do it on his own.

For proper cleaning of teeth, the brush is applied to the teeth at an angle of 45 degrees and sweeping movements are made with it from the gum to the edge of the tooth. On the lower jaw, this movement is made from bottom to top, on the top - from top to bottom. You need to clean your teeth both from the outside and from the inside. The chewing surfaces are cleaned with horizontal movements. To clean erupting teeth, the brush is placed perpendicular to the surface of the tooth and moves back and forth. Do not forget to brush your tongue, usually this can be done with the back surface of the brush.

There are other opinions regarding brushing teeth for children, for example, Dr. Komarovsky has an alternative opinion.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

How to teach a child to brush their teeth on their own

The first and most important thing is to convince the child to brush his teeth. It is important to be patient and make it clear to the baby that this procedure is needed. The first step is to regularly brush your teeth every day from the moment they appear; you cannot brush your teeth periodically, from time to time. Be sure to set an example for your child. You can invite your child to brush their teeth together, if he sees the parents brush their teeth every day, then over time he will understand that it is necessary to do this. An interesting toothbrush, tasty toothpaste, various accessories - a holder in the form of a toy, an hourglass that measures the brushing time will help to captivate the child with the cleaning process. When the baby gets used to it, does not refuse to brush his teeth, you can show him the movements that will help to brush his teeth well, show him how to rinse his mouth. Visual materials will help in teaching the child to brush their teeth on their own:

If a child refuses to brush his teeth

It happens that the child refuses to brush his teeth himself and does not allow his mother to brush them, while no persuasion helps. Here you can go for a trick. For example, invite your child to choose a brush and paste on their own. If age permits, you can purchase an electric toothbrush, it will be able to interest the child for a long time. A competition can captivate a younger child - who can brush their teeth while a song is playing or time is running on the hourglass (this time should be equal to the required brushing time, that is, about two minutes). You can also involve a toy in the process and brush your teeth with it. It is more interesting to brush your teeth by telling a rhyme, a joke or a fairy tale.

An older child can be explained in simple words why you need to brush your teeth, talk about caries, the reasons for its occurrence and the possibility of preventing it if you brush your teeth regularly. The kid can be shown pictures telling about the need to brush their teeth or educational cartoons.

How to brush your teeth correctly - video for children

Brushing your teeth is one of the most important rules of hygiene. Brushing your child's teeth should be taken seriously, because bad milk teeth can affect the molars. It is important to instill in the child a habit and love for this process and carefully monitor it.