Kids should brush their teeth this way

By Patricia Nugent

Getting children to brush properly is one of the most important things a parent can do. It establishes a lifetime of positive dental health behaviors to help avoid tooth decay and gum disease.

We went to an expert—Dr. Amberlee Taylor, founder of North Royalton Pediatric Dentistry—for a master class in brushing.

“First of all, like so many other situations in life, your attitude toward the task will affect the way your child views it,” she says. “If taking care of your teeth is important to you, it will be important to them.”

One of the most frequently asked questions she gets from parents is when to begin.

“As soon as your child’s first tooth appears, you should be brushing,” she says. “And I suggest you continue to assist with brushing until kids are around seven or eight years old.”

A few tips she gives to parents are:

• The AAPD encourages brushing with the appropriate amount of fluoridated toothpaste for every child
• In the beginning, use an amount of toothpaste no bigger than a grain of rice, moving up to the size of a pea when the child is around five
• Brush twice a day, for two minutes each time
• Teach kids how to rinse and spit. Make sure your child doesn’t swallow the toothpaste
• Use a gentle, circular motion going from the front of teeth to the back, and then bite surfaces
• Spin brushes are more effective for brushing and plaque removal
• As soon as a child’s teeth touch in between, it’s time to begin flossing twice daily

Call Dr. Amberlee at 440-210-9340 or visit NorthRoyaltonPediatricDentistry.com for more information. With a new patient exam, kids get a free Spinbrush. North Royalton Pediatric Dentistry is located at 6391 Royalton Road in North Royalton.