Should Your Child Be Flossing?
Preventive dentistry for children and adults includes brushing and flossing at home, in addition to six-month dental visits. If you have been wondering about whether your child needs to be incorporating dental floss into his or her daily routine, we are happy you are so concerned with best home practices. The answer is a definitive, “Yes!” You see, each aspect of prevention is just as important as the next. Every step is geared to help your child remove as much dental plaque as consistently as possible to prevent problems like cavities and gum disease. Ready for some specifics? Consider the following and remember to ask questions during your next visit:
Why Flossing Is Important
Think about the way a smile is constructed. Your child’s teeth rest next to one another, which means as your little one brushes his or her teeth, there will probably be some plaque and food particles left between those teeth. This is where floss makes its all-important appearance. Because cavities can form between teeth – and because plaque between teeth may contribute to periodontal problems – flossing is essential. It will clean up remaining traces of plaque and debris that were left behind by your toothbrush.
Helpful Hints
You should always begin by providing your child with enough dental floss so that your son or daughter does not need to use one segment more than once. We suggest starting with a floss strand measuring around 18 inches in length. You can then show your little one to wrap dental floss around middle fingers, using index fingers and thumbs to direct the floss (this will help prevent the floss around the middle fingers from becoming uncomfortably tight). Your child should then wiggle the floss between two teeth, running the floss along one tooth and then the other, while forming a c-shape. Simply running the floss straight up and down does not offers sufficient cleaning power. Make sure your child learns to move to a new portion of floss as he or she moves to the next set of tooth borders.
ABOUT YOUR DALLAS, TX DENTIST:
At Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda, Dr. Marr provides gentle, compassionate children’s dentistry, including a comprehensive selection of treatments. In combined efforts with her considerate, experienced team, Dr. Marr promotes both comfort and education to safeguard your child’s oral health for many years to come. To learn more or to schedule a visit, contact our office at 214-321-4880. We proudly welcome patients from Dallas, Casa Linda, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Forest Hills, East Dallas, Mesquite, Garland, Richardson, and surrounding communities.
filed under: Children's Dental Services