Starting to brush our children's teeth is not always easy, since at first they will close their mouths and stick their tongues out at us, but it is necessary to and it will be easier if they start the habit at an early age. As they grow up, they may not like toothpaste or they may not feel like brushing their teeth, so we must motivate them to continue the habit. Although it may be a little difficult for us too, the most important thing is to lead by example, so we must make an effort so that they see us brushing our teeth.
They need their autonomy and to feel grown up, but without forgetting that an adult should brush them after brushing.
There are numerous electric toothbrushes for our children, as long as they are older than 3 years old, in colours and with their favourite drawings, which will encourage them to brush their teeth, not only for the brush but also to imitate their older siblings or their parents. In addition, the vibration tends to generate a welcome tingling sensation in the little ones.
Many have a timer, even music, so it will encourage them to complete the 2 minutes of brushing in a fun, no-excuses way.
These brushes generally have small brush heads so the biggest difference with manual brushing is going to be the patience and dexterity.
It is important to get it right and follow these tips to carry out correct brushing and thus prevent the appearance of caries.
ADVICE
- - The most important thing is to rest the toothbrush TOOTH BY TOOTH and let it work, slowly and without skipping any of them. We should not make the back-and-forth movement that we make with manual brushing, as the electric toothbrush moves by itself.
- - Always brush the whole tooth and some gum to avoid gingival inflammation or gingivitis.
- - We will insist on brushing the three areas of the teeth, without forgetting any of them (outside, inside and where we chew).
- - Use children's brush heads with soft filaments. Do not exert too much pressure, there are brushes with pressure sensors for this purpose, as excessive pressure can be harmful.
- - We recommend a rechargeable one, as battery powered ones lose power as the battery wears out. If the battery runs out battery or battery it is advisable to always have a manual brush at hand, as the electric brush used as a manual one is much less efficient.
- - It can also be used to brush the tongue.
- - Of course they must not bite it.
- - We recommend that parents repeat brushing after their child has brushed until they are 8 years old and become more skilled.
- - You will need to change the brush heads every 3-4 months.
- - Do not forget to pass the thread or dental archesto remove food that remains in the interdental space.
The electric toothbrush is very effective and will remove more food and plaque if used properly. As the brush head is smaller than manual toothbrushes, we will have good access to posterior areas, improving brushing and we will also have less gagging sensation if it is the case.
Sometimes, out of the 3 brushings, one is usually done faster, so we can always use a combined brushing technique, using a manual brush after breakfast for example, which usually goes faster, and after lunch and dinner using the electric toothbrush, which usually has more time.
We must not forget that the aim is for our children to have clean teeth free of caries. To achieve this we should brush their teeth 3 times a day for 2 minutes, floss, use 1450ppm toothpaste (from 6 years of age), do not rinse after brushing and reduce sugars in the diet.