Caring for your children’s teeth and creating good dental habits early-on will set your children up for a lifetime of healthy teeth! At McCullough Dental Centre, we help parents learn how to properly care for their children’s teeth through proper at home dental care. Start brushing when the first tooth appears. We recommend supervising your children until they get the hang of the following steps probably until ten years old:

• Start flossing your child’s back teeth as soon as they sit up against one another. Starting early helps your children get the hang of flossing. Brushing alone will miss food particles and plaque that has built up between the teeth.
   
• Use a pea-sized dab of an ADA approved fluoride toothpaste.
  
  
• Brush gently back and forth, using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Brush the inside surface of each tooth first, where plaque may accumulate most.
  
  
• Spend approximately 2-3 minutes brushing twice daily. Make the process of cleaning your child’s teeth fun for them by playing their favourite song during brushing.
  
  
• Clean the outer surfaces of each tooth. Angle the brush along the outer gum line and gently brush back and forth.
  
  
• Brush the surface of each tooth, especially the front and back chewing teeth.
  
  

Following these simple brushing tips can help your child avoid future dental problems and set them up for a lifetime of good oral health habits down the track.