How to brush your child’s teeth
Children need an adult to help them brush their teeth until they are about eight years old.
It’s normal for toothbrushing with children to be difficult at some stage. Don’t worry, just do what you can and keep coming back to it as part of the routine in the morning and at night.
Helping your child to see toothbrushing as an important part of their daily routine gives them a great start for lifelong oral health.
Brush in the morning and at night before bed.
Use a pea-sized amount of low fluoride children’s toothpaste on a soft toothbrush.
Brush the outside surfaces using gentle circles.
Next, brush the inside surfaces using gentle circles.
Use a light back and forth motion on the chewing surfaces, top and bottom.
Ask your child to spit out the toothpaste and not rinse with water. Not rinsing the fluoride toothpaste away helps to protect teeth.
Tips:
- Choose a position where you can see your child’s teeth. Try different positions that work for you and your child.
- As your child becomes more independent let them have a go at brushing their teeth. Finish by brushing them yourself.
- Children need help to brush teeth up to at least 8 years of age.
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