Tackling Your Dental Treatment Plan

If you have a small child, you may be working to try and teach the little one how to brush his or her teeth properly. Here are a few measures you can take to help your youngster learn more easily:

Use an electric toothbrush.

When a little one first starts to brush, he or she may not have the adequate dexterity to control the toothbrush for a thorough cleaning of the teeth. An electronic toothbrush does some of the work for the child. Since the brush bristles move automatically, the child can simply direct the brush to different areas of the mouth. Additionally, the rapid movement of the electronic bristles offers more cleaning strokes than your child's little hands can produce. As a result, your little one's teeth are likely to be cleaner.

Observe your child's brushing sessions.

Even if there are multiple restrooms within your home, it can be helpful for you to be in the same room as your child when he or she is brushing. This gives you the opportunity to review your child's brushing techniques and help correct any challenges that your child may incur, such as placing too much toothpaste on a brush or failing to brush long enough.

To ensure that you and your child are in the same space during his or her brushing sessions, you can brush beside the child or complete other tasks in the same room, such as applying makeup or combing your hair. It's just important for you to be nearby for observations and corrections.

Use the timer on your cell phone.

A small child may not fully understand how long two minutes actually is. As a result, he or she may stop short of the recommended brushing time. To help keep your little one on track, set the alarm on your cell phone for two minutes. The timer application's beep at the end of the two-minute session will help your child understand how long he or she should brush on a regular basis, even when the timer is unavailable.

Demonstrate proper brushing technique.

Children often enjoy demonstrations. By demonstrating the proper brushing technique on your child's teeth, your child will better learn what he or she should be doing. It can also be helpful and fun to reverse roles, allowing your child to try to brush your teeth.

For more ways to help your little one learn to brush effectively, schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist at a clinic like Dentistry For Children.