We all brush our teeth, and some of us even brush or supervise the brushing of our children, too. This can seem like an easy enough task- but how do you really know if you’re doing a good job with your kids’ teeth when you can’t feel how clean they are for yourself?
The answer to that is multifold. For starters, a great baseline is to attend regular dental appointments with Dr. Abelar. Dr. Abelar and his staff can give you a great idea of how well you’re doing – or in some cases how much improvement your children’s oral health can benefit from.
But before you worry, don’t. It’s hard to tell how accurate your brushing is, and we know you’re trying your best. To help you along on your journey to better oral health for your child, here are just a few tried-and-true tips for ensuring top-notch oral health.
BRUSH, BRUSH, BRUSH
If you do nothing else, please ensure that your child brushes their teeth at least twice a day, no matter their age. In fact, even newborns should have their mouths wiped down with a damp cloth after each feeding to protect the gums and get your baby used to having their teeth and gums cleaned.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking baby teeth don’t matter because all teeth are important, baby or adult.
Furthermore, the brush you use matters. Children should start with a soft-bristled brush and eventually move up to a medium-strength brush when prescribed by Dr. Abelar.
THE OREO TEST
While we don’t recommend eating sweets on the regular, the Oreo test is a good way to gauge how well your child (or you, on behalf of our child) is brushing. To conduct this useful experiment, have your child eat an Oreo or portion of an Oreo cookie. Then, brush their teeth. If any bits of the cookie is still visible, you need to do more brushing. This is the same concept as those brushing tablets that we used to get in elementary school that turn the teeth purple.
ATTEND REGULAR APPOINTMENTS
As we mentioned before, the best way to know how well your child’s teeth are getting brushed is to attend regular dental visits. If your checkup reveals your child’s brushing needs help. Dr. Abelar can help show you proper techniques and help guide you to better oral health. In some cases, your child may need a sealant or two to help protect high-risk teeth. He will discuss this with you if your child has any teeth that fit into this category.
If you’re concerned about your child’s oral health, or if you need to schedule an appointment with Dr. Abelar, please contact the office in San Deigo today!
