Children's Oral Hygiene El Segundo, CA

Taking care of your own teeth is an important job, but it is also important to take care of your kids’ teeth, too. Thankfully, your children’s El Segundo children's dentist has you covered. We’ve created this oral hygiene guide to help parents care for their children’s oral health in a fun and straightforward way.

Are Baby Teeth Really That Important?

To get started, let’s address a question we hear a lot. Some people think that a child’s primary teeth aren’t necessary because they’ll eventually fall out.

The thing is, though, that these teeth serve several crucial roles. They help children learn to speak correctly, they help them chew their food thoroughly for better nutrient absorption, and primary teeth also serve as space maintainers for permanent teeth. They guide the teeth into their ideal positions so that the adult teeth can function properly.

Oral Hygiene Guide – How to Care for Your Child’s Teeth

Here are a few tips that can help take the guesswork out of oral hygiene for kids.

Avoid Putting Your Child to Sleep with a Bottle

Putting a child to sleep with a bottle full of milk, formula, or juice can result in rampant decay called baby bottle tooth decay. The sugars in those drinks attack the teeth. Be sure to clean your baby’s teeth before putting them down for a nap or at night.

Use a Cloth to Clean Their Gums

Even before your child has their first tooth, oral hygiene is a must. After feeding, take a damp cloth and gently wipe their gums to clean away milk or formula.

Use a Child-Sized Toothbrush

Kids have smaller mouths and hands. Child-sized toothbrushes have smaller heads that fit into their mouths and larger handles easier for tiny hands to grasp.

Your child will likely just chew on the brush when you start. You’ll need to brush their teeth for them. Typically, it’s easier to stand behind them and brush their teeth. Doing it this way will help you reach all their teeth.

Start Flossing

As soon as your child gets a tooth, start flossing. Flossing isn’t just about cleaning plaque and debris from between the teeth. It’s also about cleaning the gums, too. Your El Segundo children's dentist will be happy to demonstrate proper flossing technique.

Make Sure It’s Fun

This one is huge. If it’s not fun, you’ll lose your child’s interest fast. Here are a few tips that can help.

Practice oral hygiene as a family
Get your kids involved from an early age (letting them play with or chew on the toothbrush, for instance)
Turn cleaning their teeth into a game
Play their favorite song while they brush and floss (and turn it into a dance party!)

How Often Should You Take Your Child to Their El Segundo Children's Dentist?

Your child should see their dentist every six months. During this appointment, we’ll:

Clean and polish their teeth
Take diagnostic x-rays to check for decay, as well as tooth and bone anomalies
Perform an oral evaluation to check their teeth, gums, soft tissues, bite, and jaw joints
Give them a fluoride treatment

When Should You Schedule Your Child’s First Dental Visit?

According to multiple entities – including the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry and Stanford Children’s Health – a child should see their dentist:

By their first birthday
Within six months of getting their first tooth

Do You Still Have Questions or Concerns?

Being a parent is a big job, and we admire parents and all they do for their kids. We want to do what we can to make your job easier. If you still have questions or concerns, please contact us. We’re happy to review oral hygiene for kids and can recommend several products and strategies to get your kids to cooperate with your efforts.

Start Your Kids Off on The Right Foot With Good Oral Hygiene At Home

For more information, please contact our team and schedule a consultation or examination for your child.