Hello readers,
I hope you are all doing well.
In this blog I am focusing on the discussion of dental hygiene, the importance of it and sharing tips on how to help support/ promote good dental hygiene with your children.
I know from experience that sometimes getting children ready in the morning can be a nightmare, constantly watching at the clock and continually repeating “ get your shoes on please” for the 40th
time that hour. So when the dreaded “ I don’t want to” or the very simple yet effective “ no!” comes along it makes it even harder. It is quite common for children to go through a phase of disliking brushing their teeth, especially when they get to the age they wish to test boundaries and have their voice and opinion heard. Throughout this article I will share the recommendations and tips on tooth brushing as well as ways to support your children to be interested in their own personal care.
The basics
Tooth decay is one of the most common causes of hospital admission for children in the UK, something that can be avoidable. You can start brushing your children's teeth as soon as they start coming through, starting early can making teeth brushing become part of a child's daily routine. It is recommended that you brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes each session. Parents/carers should brush their children’s teeth to begin with, modelling how to get all of the needed places in the mouth, a child can then be encouraged to try independently to brush their teeth, this can happen right from the very beginning, it will often result in a baby chewing on a toothbrush for a while and then throwing it across the room (it is handy to have one specifically for them to use and one for the parent/carer in these type of situations) once a child is able to brush independently children should be supervised.
What toothpaste? It is suggested to use a toothpaste that contains Fluoride. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is known to help prevent tooth decay which is why it is often added into toothpastes. The recommended dosage 1,350ppm and 1,500ppm but no less than 1000ppm, this will be listed on the packaging of the toothpaste. For children under 3 a smear of toothpaste is all that is needed, for children over 3 years a pea sized amount is appropriate.
It is advised that you do not rinse the toothpaste out of your mouth after brushing but simply spit the excess into the sink, this allows the fluoride to stay in your mouth, if you were to rinse with water it would also rinse away the fluoride.
When to register with dentist?
You can register your child soon after they are born, it is recommended that they are registered with a dentist before they are 6 months old. Regular dentist check ups from a young age can help reduce some of the anxiety that children can have surrounding visiting the dentist.
What about when a child wont brush their teeth?
I know most of the information outlined above is pretty much common knowledge but I wanted to cover all basis in this article including the basics and what is advised. I think as parents and carers we will all come across at least one time (I can guarantee it will probably be more than the once) where a child will refuse to brush their teeth, this can just be a one off or can be at every time it is tried.
It may help to think why a child is refusing? It could be discomfort, the brush may be too hard and scratchy, it could be that they dislike the toothpaste flavour it also could be that the brush is going over some sensitive teeth or catching a gum. It could be that the child is in the phase of their development where they wish to have their opinion known and often test the boundaries. I have compiled a few tips and tricks that I have found helped from my own experience, experience from parents I have worked with or suggestions shared in parenting groups .
Discussing why we brush our teeth
Having open discussions about why we brush our teeth and why it is important in an age appropriate way can help children understand why we have to do this every day. Having a discussion about our health and keeping our teeth healthy and what may happen if we do not look after our teeth:
Introduce books about teeth brushing
Introducing books about any subject that is currently a tricky situation can often help a child understand what is happening and why, it can also give them a way to help express the way they are feeling, that is also the case in regards to teeth brushing. Below are some books that highlight teeth brushing in different ways, please feel free to share any recommendations in the comments!
- alans big scary teeth
- how to catch a tooth fairy
- bears loose tooth
- favourite characters ( peppa, elmo, dora etc)
Introducing a song at tooth brushing time Introducing a song can help make this part of daily life a little more interesting as well help keep track of how long you are brushing for. This can be a nursery rhyme such as ‘this is the way we brush our teeth brush our teeth brush our teeth early in the morning’ or songs that have been shared on popular tv shows such as sesame street and Mr tumble. There are many songs available for free online that can support in teeth brushing.
Being consistent and being a role model
Ensuring that teeth brushing is part of your everyday routine and being consistent with the routine can help, however you prefer to incorporate it into your day , being consistent with it can support children into understanding how it is also a part of their routine, for example wash face, brush teeth and then have breakfast. If this is done every morning then children become familiar with the routine and what to expect next. Being a role model and showing children that you brush your teeth and follow the same routine as them can help lead by example and will encourage children to join in too, if you do not wash your face and teeth at the same time then you can always discuss it EG”lets sit down and eat breakfast I have already had a wash and brushed my teeth”.
Accessing oral hygiene products
If you have trouble accessing oral hygiene products for your little ones Boots have released a new scheme to support families of children aged 3-5 years to access products. You can enter any Boots and approach a member of staff and ‘ask for Jesse’, the staff member will then discreetly provide you with oral hygiene products.
In the coming week or so you will notice a new unit in front of the office, it will have a variety of books that you can help yourself to and if you have any books you wish to pass along then you can leave them inside for other families to enjoy. We will also be placing a pot of brushes and toothpaste inside for you to help yourself if you have the need to.
For further support and advice regarding dental hygiene please visit the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/taking-care-of-childrens-teeth/
I have also created a quick guide for dental hygiene which will be available from the nursery soon.
As I have mentioned above it is very common for children to go through a phase of not wanting to brush their teeth, we hope the above information and suggestions may help support you all in understanding the importance of oral health as well as getting through that tricky phase!
Keep an eye out for my next blog based on supporting reading at home!
Until next time
Terrie
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