Parents should begin brushing their child’s teeth as soon as milk teeth (also known as first or baby teeth) break through the gum, at around 6 months. This should be done with great care using only approved toothpaste and brush.
As your child grows, they gain independence in many parts of their life, and you’ll soon wonder when the time is right to let them brush their teeth all by themselves.
By age 7, kids should be able to brush their teen independently, with minimal monitoring. Although, children developed at slightly different speeds, some kids may require assisted brushing for longer.
At this stage in life, having had regular guidance by parents, and developed the necessary hand-eye coordination, 7 year olds should be able to brush their own teeth.
It’s crucial to remember that even when they begin to brush by themselves, parents must continue to monitor and ensure they’re doing a thorough job – all teeth brushed thoroughly for at least 2 minutes.
Establishing these good dental care habits early can lead to a lifetime of good oral health. If you’re struggling to motivate your child to brush their teeth regularly and for the optimal duration, consider introducing a kids electric toothbrush to the family brushing routine.
These kids electric powered toothbrushes are colourful and fun, take less manual effort, deep clean hard to reach parts of the mouth, and have timers to ensure your child is brushing for the recommended two minutes.
General timeline Guide for Brushing Stages
Under Age 3: Parents should do the brushing entirely, using a small amount of child friendly fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) and a soft-bristled kids manual toothbrush.
Ages 3-6: Children can start practicing brushing their own teeth, with parents giving verbal instruction and pointing out any mistakes. At this age, a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is ideal with manual or electric toothbrush.
Ages 6-7: By this age, children should be comfortable brushing their own teeth to a good standard, but parents should still supervise closely, ensuring they are using the right technique, for the right time, and rinsing properly. This is also an ideal age to introduce flossing between teeth.
Ages 7-8: Most children should be able to brush their teeth independently by this age, but parents should still check that they’re brushing thoroughly twice a day, making it a habit they carry through their whole lifetime.
Understanding the Development of Teeth in Children
The development of teeth in children is a key part of growing up and their overall well-being. Being aware of the different stages of this development and the importance of starting dental care early can aid parents in supporting their child’s dental health, for life.
By the time kids start school, you want a solid brushing routine in place. You don’t want your child having bad breath or dirty teeth while interacting with classmates, as this could cause them to be picked on, and could harm their self esteem.
Preventing cavities in the first place is way better than causing teeth to decay because of poor brushing. Traumatic visits to the dentist for fillings can be avoided by simply establishing regular bruising from an early age.
Educate you child on the consequences of not brushing, with pictures of stained rotten teeth and cavities, and how painful toothache can be. This trick can work wonders in motivating them to stick to the correct burnishing routine.
Development of Teeth Stages
Children usually start to develop their first teeth (baby teeth) at the front, at around six months old. By three, most kids have a complete set of 20 primary teeth for eating (stay away from sweets) speaking, and preparing space for the adult teeth.
As children grow, their primary teeth begin to fall out, make way for their adult teeth, starting around age six. This is when parents introduce their children to the story of the tooth fairy, which is a method used to bring some fun imagination into an otherwise unsettling experience of teeth becoming wobbly and falling out.
The growth of teeth actual starts before you child is born, in the “bud stage”. This process begins at 8 weeks in the womb. Cells called dental epithelium grow from a thick band called dental lamina in the jaws. These cells develop into the tooth germ, which includes the soft tissues needed for tooth growth.
The following stages are “cap” where the outer layer of the tooth forms a cap known as the enamel organ, later producing enamel cells. Then “bell stage” is when the enamel organ grows into a bell shape, and is the first sign of a tooth forming.
This biological process continues with the crown root formation, into the “eruption stage” at around 6 months, which positions the tooth to grow into the oral cavity through the gum. This is what parents call the “teething” stage.
As you can see, the growth of teeth is a long biological process, and as soon as teeth are visible you should start caring for them, and teach you children of the importance of oral hygiene early.
Talk About Flossing Kids Teeth
As your little one munches throughout the day, plaque starts to build up – which is left unchecked could lead to tartar forming. Plaque is a gooey layer of bacteria that naturally settles on every nook and cranny of our teeth and along the gum-line. If you don’t clean this plaque off regularly, the plaque firm can cause tooth decay, lead to tartar forming, and gum problems like gingivitis.
Brushing your kid’s teeth twice a day is crucial for getting rid of plaque, food particles and plaque can get trapped between teeth, and brushing may not always be enough to cleat these areas.
Using a mouthwash between brushing can help, but adding flossing to your kid’s dental care routine is even better. Flossing gets rid of plaque in those tight spots, stopping the growth of bacteria that can cause painful cavities, and gum disease.
When Do You Start Flossing Your Kids’ Teeth?
As soon as your little one’s teeth start to touch each other, you should think about using dental floss or a kids water flosser – the latter being the preferred choice for kids, along with a kids electric toothbrush.
There is not set age to start flossing, some say you can star at 2, while other say to wait until they’re 6 or 7. A guide is to start flossing your toddler’s teeth every day from the moment two teeth meet.
Keeping an Eye on Improvement and Offering Support
Even after kids start taking care of their teeth independently, parents should continue to monitor their progress until they are confident that their child is in a habit of thoroughly brushing on their own.
Establishing a regular brushing time together reinforces positive habits and communicates to the child that dental health is important.
Some parents might find it beneficial to brush their teeth together as a family. This can make the activity more enjoyable and promote a sense of unity in maintaining healthy teeth. This routine bond can be made fun with a family electric toothbrush and by visiting the dentist together as a team for checkups.
