This answer is very similar to the one above. Let’s face it. We all have a crutch that helps us get through the tough times. Some people rely on faith, others on food and some on other addictions.
So, it should come as no surprise to you that our children have their own little “fixes” to get them through the tough times. One of the biggest of these is thumb-sucking or finger-sucking, with or without the use of a “blankie.” I would never dare ban the coveted “blankie.” In fact, I know several adults who still sleep with theirs! I sucked my thumb as a child, and oh, the relief was amazing! But again, at some point certain addictions have to end before they have damaging consequences.

Generally it is safe to let your kids suck away until age four. Before age four, you may notice the effects of sucking on their front teeth. What you will likely see is that your child’s front teeth are “bucked out” and perfectly fit the offending thumb like a key in a lock. Prior to age four, if the child stops, the teeth will usually drift back into their normal position. After age four, however, the effects become more permanent and may also affect the path of eruption of the permanent teeth and shape of the palate (roof of the mouth). This can result in your child’s permanent teeth also appearing “bucked,” crowded, spaced or some combination of these. And, you guessed it, an expensive trip to the orthodontist!

Alright, let’s face it-most adults do a poor job of brushing their teeth on their own. So, it should be no surprise that most kids do an even worse job (including my own). My oldest boy is nine and highly intelligent. However, if I let him brush on his own and then check after him, you would swear that he just ate a plaque sandwich right before I looked. Disgusting, I know, but incredibly true.

Now, we of course have to let our children acquire their independence whether we like it or not. Trust me, if I had it my way, I would drive him everywhere and keep his curfew at 10 PM until he was 30. But I can’t, so I have to go with the flow. With brushing, this too is the road I must take. You need to allow them the independence to brush on their own, even from a young age (at 2 or 3 years old). However, like all parents, we must be undercover detectives and be sure they are doing an okay job. So, I will often check after brushing and give helpful hints on areas they may have missed.

Another completely covert method of checking up to ensure adequate brushing is the use of those plaque dyes made just for kids. They swish it in their mouth for a few seconds (the child must be old enough to spit it out to use it) and it will stain any plaque on their teeth. The child will think this is so cool to see and then has the job of removing all the colorful stain. You can obtain these dyes in a few different ways: First, you can ask your dentist if they can give you the little pink or blue tablets (chewable) that stain their plaque (called disclosing tablets). Then, your child just chews them up, spits out the excess and voila-a beautiful bounty of stained bacteria to brush off! Second, you can use a plaque staining rinse for children (i.e. Agent Cool Blue by Listerine). Then they simply rinse instead of chew. I personally prefer the tablets, as they work much better and stain much brighter. They can be harder to find over the counter however.

Speaking of stain-those little tablets and swishes are also fabulous as staining lots of other items, so you may want to supervise the process! As mentioned earlier, the child should be old enough to rinse and spit the mouthwash out without swallowing to avoid any potential toxicity. As a side note, teenagers seem to be the worst at brushing. So be prepared for some dental challenges. Don’t fret too much, however, for us dentists are fantastic at giving lectures and guilt-trips to teens, especially in front of their parents. You can use this tactic however you choose. Parental threats to teenagers have ranged from taking away TV and video games, all the way to making the child help pay for any cavities found at the next appointment!