Brushing basics for our Clinton Dental Care kiddos…

By Dr. Kristin Derrick
Clinton Dental Care

It’s never too early to start focusing on the importance of brushing your teeth for kids. The fact is that tooth decay in kids is a real problem. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, tooth decay is more prevalent than both asthma and hay fever in children.

Let’s focus on brushing teeth for kids at an early age by following these tips:

• You can start brushing teeth for kids as soon as the first tooth arrives. Your child’s first dental visit can be as early as 1 year old. Dr. Derrick can evaluate your child’s teeth development for any concerns that can addressed promptly.

• Use a fluoride toothpaste to start building the habit of brushing teeth for kids. Be sure to supervise toddlers and young children as they brush and floss their teeth. A peas-sized amount of toothpaste is about the right amount, but remember even this small amount should be spit out, not swallowed.

• Eat tooth-healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables and cheese. Rinse with water if it isn’t possible to brush after each meal or snack. Dental Note: Sip Some Tap Water!! Tap water is a valuable source of fluoride that is important to help fight cavities and is not in most bottled water products.

• Let your kids watch you and other family members brush their teeth. This will reinforce the importance of brushing teeth for kids.

• Brush teeth at least twice daily using fluoride toothpaste. With today’s technologies, we have many APPS and dental related videos (YouTube) to help support the importance of brushing to our children. Many brushes are even now available with Bluetooth!!

• Visit us regularly, twice a year, for a professional cleaning and evaluation. We will evaluate your child’s dentition development, monitor for signs of rampant caries/decay, consider sealants and give your child the tools they need for their complete dental health.

Getting into a routine of regular dental care is one of the best ways for children to fight cavities. As young children develop more teeth at ages two to three years, the same general rules to fight cavities apply to them as for teens and adults. Contact us today to schedule your child for their dental cleaning appointment!

Be sure to check out our FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM for incentives to promote our children’s dental smiles in August!!

Clinton Dental Care

Clinton Dental Care is a full-service comprehensive health dental office. Services provided include hygiene, restorative, crown and bridge, esthetics, and sleep medicine, and more. We have been serving Laurens County and surrounding areas since 1977.