The use of an American Dental Association approved fluoridated toothpaste at least twice a day for at least two minutes each time is a great start. Any toothpaste with the ADA approval seal is sufficient for use. I don’t personally recommend non-fluoride toothpaste, as I have seen a dramatic difference in the number of cavities in children and adults who use it. Fluoride helps to strengthen, protect and harden teeth, making them more resistant to tooth decay. However, the decision is ultimately up to you as the parent, so do whatever you feel is best for your child.

When we are first-time parents, we often have many new gadgets and gizmos to figure out how to use. Luckily, taking care of your child’s teeth is fairly devoid of a fancy products needed to complete the task. When your child is in the infant stage, you may want to consider using one of those super-cool finger brushes. You do not want to put toothpaste on them yet. They are made primarily to massage the gums during the teething stage to help the teeth come in more comfortably for the baby. It may also help in getting the child prepared for having a toothbrush at a later time. You could also have the same effect with a wet washcloth-just be sure it is clean before using.

Once the baby has teeth, we usually recommend the child chew on a toothbrush without toothpaste. It is my preference to place the child in a highchair or on your lap where they cannot fall or slip and become injured by the brush. Always supervise the child and no time restrictions are necessary at this point-just watch and enjoy! At around age two to four you can introduce fluoride toothpaste to the brush. They make special toddler toothpaste with tastes that are more appealing to your little tike. You should use a very small, less than pea-sized amount!

As a general rule, I usually tell parents that if your child tries to swallow the paste or is not able to spit, then do not use a fluoridated paste yet, regardless of their age. Fluoride can have toxic effects to the body and to the teeth if taken in larger amounts, so always be sure that you monitor your child while brushing. Rinses are generally not recommended until children reach age six years old and can definitely spit out with no problems. Again, I rely less on the child’s age and more on their ability to spit the rinse out without swallowing it.

Flossing. Let’s face it, we all hate flossing. It takes too much time, we forget, we don’t like it, we don’t have time for it. All valid reasons. However, flossing happens to be one of the most important things you can do for your gums and also for your body. Flossing helps prevent gum disease, which can lead to premature tooth loss, bad breath and a multitude of other dental problems. In recent studies, scientists have also linked gum disease to other health problems such as pre-term labor, heart disease, stroke and diabetic complications. So, though we hate it, we really need to do it (sort of like paying taxes, right?). The earlier we can introduce the habit of flossing to our children, the easier it will be to incorporate as part of their daily routine.

When kids finally have multiple teeth, you can start by demonstrating on yourself and then see if they will let you try it out on them. If you are unsuccessful, continue to show them while you do it and eventually you will find that they might at least try on themselves. You will also find that your child may have spaces in between their teeth and thus not much there to floss. The spaces are actually there for a reason and so just go through the flossing motions for now, and let your child practice. The spaces will likely go away once permanent teeth come in and so they will already be a pro at it! The child may complain that the floss stings a little bit. This is normal and is because the gums are not used to having floss touch them. This will be the same for adults. Be sure that they are gentle when they floss and occasionally a little bleeding will occur at first. This is normal, so reassure your child that flossing will make it go away and the more they floss, the happier their gums and teeth will be! Occasionally, flosses coated with mint flavoring can cause stinging during use. So consider buying flavorless floss.

There are many handy devices to make flossing easier and more appealing. One of my personal favorites is the “floss-pick“. It is a little plastic toothpick with floss attached to it. There are many brands, but I will warn you that cheaper is not better, as the less expensive ones tend to break after the first attempt. If your teeth are very tight, I also recommend Glide brand floss. It is a little more expensive but well worth the price! Also, regular floss is really the best, but if it is too difficult for you or your child to use, then you simply won’t use it. So, the bottom line is, use whatever you will use!