When I had my first child, it took me a while to realize that soon she would be having her own set of teeth and her oral care would become of paramount importance to ensure her overall health. With the teething happening, there are many other issues to deal with, I had a few questions on my mind all this while. While brushing was normal as she got her full set of teeth, I was and still am curious about the fact should I Floss my baby’s teeth. Is there a right time to start using the floss? Alternatively, should I avoid using floss at all my child’s dental and oral hygiene?
These questions had me boggled and that is when I found out my answers. Floss is good idea to get rid of food particles that get stuck between the teeth, and we need to get rid of them before they cause the plaque formation, which leads to oral cavities and hordes of other problems. A good time to start floss for any child is when the teeth start touching each other, roughly around the age of 2 to 2.5 years in kids.
Before one starts to floss the kid’s teeth, it is important that one visit a doctor. Pay a visit to the doctor to ensure that you understand the right way to floss and the technique to get it right from the very first time. Not only will this provide you a good start, you will do things right from day one and avoid any oral problems. Since, the teeth are still taking shape and gums are softer, one should avoid being too harsh and handle the floss regime with care. Starting with twice a week with two times a day is a good idea. Be gentle and kind when you floss the baby’s teeth and occasionally allow the kid to use it as well, but under your guided hand and supervision. The kids can be hard on their own gums as they might like the idea of something moving in their mouth and hurt themselves. Therefore, utmost care has to be taken.
While one can floss the baby’s teeth, it is to be done in moderation coupled with good oral care, regular brushing and visit to the dentist for checkups. Get the child in the habit to do floss every day as they grow older. Habits made in childhood could go a great way into the future to ensure that your kids have the healthiest, clean and beautiful set of teeth and each visit to the dentist is a pleasant one.
