Caring for your child’s teeth can be challenging, especially if they’re not old enough to hold a toothbrush! Teeth brushing is probably already part of your morning and bedtime routine, but take time to review these healthy habits to make sure you’re not doing more harm than good.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends caring for your children’s teeth by doing the following:
- Tooth decay can occur as soon as your baby’s teeth appear. Start wiping down the gums with a clean, moist cloth a few days after your baby is born.
- Children ages 3 and younger should brush their teeth twice per day with fluoride toothpaste. Make sure they’re using a minimal amount of toothpaste when they brush.
- Children ages 3 to 6 can use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste and should brush twice a day.
- Continue to brush your child’s teeth twice a day until you feel comfortable that your child can do it on his or her own.
Encouraging young children to brush their teeth and to form healthy dental habits can be challenging. The ADA has developed MouthHealthy.org that’s loaded with activities, videos and more to help you and your child develop healthy dental habits.
To get started, celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month this month by completing these activity sheets from the ADA with your child!
Looking for affordable dental coverage? Check out the BlueCare DentalPlus plans available from BCBSKS.