Flossing is a crucial step in your oral hygiene routine. It helps remove food debris and plaque buildup from the narrow spaces between your teeth. This prevents the accumulation of cavity-causing bacteria, reducing your visits to the pediatric dentist in Kapolei.
However, some children may be intimidated or even scared of flossing. To help you instruct this fundamental habit to your child, here are some tips on how to teach them to clean interdentally effectively to ensure their smile stays clean, shiny, and, more importantly, healthy.
How to Teach Your Kid to Floss
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends flossing at least once daily to help prevent tooth decay. By cleaning between teeth daily, your kids can remove food debris and plaque buildup, preventing it from damaging their enamel and causing tooth decay.
As soon as their first two baby teeth start to touch, you can start flossing their teeth. Now, you may wonder—why is flossing so important if all their baby teeth are going to fall out anyway? However, baby teeth play a big role in saving space for their permanent teeth.
If they were to fall out too soon, your child’s adult teeth may come in crooked. Additionally, teaching your kids good flossing habits will set the base for a lifetime of healthy oral habits.
By age seven, your kid will be able to start flossing on their own. Many children aren’t comfortable flossing, and some may refuse, so to help you teach the importance of this healthy habit, here are some tips.
1. Demonstrating the Correct Technique
Now for the challenging part: teaching your children the proper flossing technique. Start by showing them the correct technique yourself, making sure to use a mirror to make sure they understand. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Holding the Floss Correctly: Assist your child in wrapping the floss’s ends around their middle fingers, leaving a few inches of floss separating each finger.
- Gently Slide the Floss Between Teeth: Show your child how to use a back-and-forth motion to gently slide the floss between each tooth. Remind them not to hurt their gums by being too rough.
- Form a C-Shape Around Each Tooth: Help your child form a C-shape around the base of each tooth as they move the floss up and down between teeth. This helps to clean both the tooth and the gumline, where plaque tends to hide.
2. Read Books on Flossing to Kids
One of the biggest challenges of flossing is that it’s not as widely spread in the media. For instance, seeing people in movies brushing is no surprise—but when was the last time you saw someone flossing on TV? To compensate for this lack, you could read books about flossing with your kids.
They might be more open to flossing if the topic is humorously approached. By doing this, you can encourage them, help them become accustomed to the concept, and ignite their imagination. “Flossing Teeth” by Mari Schuh and “Rotten Tooth Ruth” by Ilana K. Levinsky are two children’s books that discuss flossing. Adria F. Klein’s “Max Goes to the Dentist” also tackles flossing by having a hero who flosses daily.
3. Let Kids Pick Out Their Own Floss
Children may be more inclined to look forward to flossing if they are given the opportunity to take control of this habit. Before, there was only one kind of flosser, but nowadays, you can find child-friendly dental flossers with themes that kids love.
Allowing them to select the floss they like the most makes them feel empowered and more interested in this routine.
4. Supervise Them as They Learn
By the time they are seven or eight years old, children are typically ready to floss on their own, but that does not mean you should stop watching them. In addition to not cleaning effectively, not flossing gently can cause gum pain.
Therefore, carefully teach them the correct flossing techniques and gently correct them if they make a mistake. In any case, praise them when they finish flossing, as positive reinforcement can do wonders to encourage them to take on this practice.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Try Other Interdental Cleaners
Although floss is the most widely used method of cleaning between teeth, there are other options for interdental cleaning. Other options can be just as effective, too. Water flossers, interdental brushes, and wooden plaque removers are popular among children, too.
Monitor them no matter what device they choose, though. Additional supervision may be required when using instruments like water flossers.
6. Don’t Get Caught Up on When Children Should Floss
Setting minimum standards for flossing is a good idea, but do not go overboard. For instance, it makes no difference if your children floss before or after brushing their teeth. Experts still debate whether flossing should be done at the beginning, middle, or end of your daily dental care routine. So, listen to your children and let them decide.
Similarly, it makes no difference if your kids floss before bed or in the morning. They only need to floss once daily; the best course of action is to do it simultaneously every day. Regardless of whether your children prefer to floss early or late in the day, flossing is just as effective.
7. Answer Any Questions They Have About Flossing
If your kid isn’t a fan of flossing, make sure to explain why it’s so important for their dental health. You can explain the negative consequences of skipping this practice, like painful cavities and repetitive visits to dental visits.
When determining how far to take that conversation, consider your child’s age and maturity. Additionally, answer any questions they may have about this practice if you don’t know how we can continue the discussion at the dentist’s office. We will be pleased to speak with your children directly about the importance of flossing.
Protect Your Child’s Oral Health Alongside Your Go-To Pediatric Dentist in Kapolei
Flossing is a crucial practice to protect your child’s oral health. This important oral hygiene habit will prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Moreover, by incorporating this habit while they’re young, you’ll set them up for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
It’s important to continue to discuss healthy dental care habits with your children. If you have any doubts or would like some help instructing your child, Kidshine Pediatric Dental Group is here to help. We’ll answer any questions you or your kid may have about flossing and other aspects of their daily dental care, so reach out!