At what age is it appropriate for children to brush their teeth?

Nowadays, more and more young mothers don’t know how to take care of children because they are first-time mothers. For example, at what age is it appropriate for children to brush their teeth? This is not a joke, teeth are very important to children. Babies start to grow teeth from birth to 6 or 7 months old, and their deciduous teeth are usually fully grown at the age of 6 or 7. During this period, if the teeth are not brushed well, the incidence of dental caries is also high. So, how should babies aged 0-6 years old brush their teeth? Here are some tips for young parents to refer to.

Protecting teeth should start from infants and young children. I divide the baby's teeth brushing learning into three stages.

Stage 1: Finger toothbrush, adults "brushing" teeth

When your baby has 2 teeth, you can start brushing his teeth. There is no need to use a toothbrush or toothpaste at this stage. Adults can cut a small piece of medical gauze and wrap it around the index finger of their right hand, dip it in cold boiled water, and help the baby brush his teeth back and forth. Medical gauze is generally available at pharmacies. You can sterilize it in a sterilizer or ultraviolet disinfector before using it. Be sure to use cold boiled water for mouthwash, because babies can easily swallow the water into their stomachs, and using tap water is unhygienic. During this period, there are relatively few food residues in the baby's mouth, so it is only necessary to "brush" the teeth once a day, for 1-2 minutes each time, mainly at night. Remember, after your baby drinks milk before going to bed, you must let him drink a sip or two of warm water. Never let your baby fall asleep with a bottle in his mouth. This is very helpful in preventing "bottle tooth decay".

However, when you first start brushing their teeth, some naughty babies may deliberately bite your fingers. It doesn’t matter, because the baby’s big teeth at the back have not grown out yet, and it usually won’t hurt too much. Just persist, and the baby will stop biting you once he gets used to it.

Stage 2: Children’s toothbrush, adult assistance

When your baby is about 2 years old and has 12 to 16 upper and lower teeth, you can start brushing his teeth with a toothbrush. Choose a children's toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles. Brush your teeth twice a day, morning and evening, for 2-3 minutes each time. The brushing method is the same as that of an adult, brushing up and down, left and right, inside and outside. For toothpaste, you should choose low-fluoride children's toothpaste. Do not use adult toothpaste because adult toothpaste contains higher fluoride. If the baby swallows it by mistake for a long time, it may cause fluoride poisoning and produce "dental fluorosis" and "skeletal fluorosis". You can choose some fruit flavors of toothpaste, such as orange, strawberry, apple, etc., to increase your baby's interest in brushing teeth. As for the amount of toothpaste used, the size of a mung bean or soybean is enough.

During this period, since the baby cannot fully master the correct method of brushing teeth, adults must assist the baby in brushing teeth. At the beginning, the adult helps brush the teeth, and then gradually assists the baby in brushing teeth step by step, so that the baby can develop a good habit of brushing teeth every morning and evening.

Stage 3: Children's toothbrush, independent brushing

When your baby is 4 or 5 years old, you should cultivate his ability to brush his teeth independently. During this period, you should also use a small-headed, soft-bristled children's toothbrush and low-fluoride children's toothpaste. Use it once in the morning and evening every day for 3-5 minutes each time. Do not use too much toothpaste. The more toothpaste you use, the cleaner your teeth will be.

What needs to be noted at this stage is that adults still need to supervise babies brushing their teeth to ensure that the brushing method is correct and the brushing time is sufficient, and the baby should not be perfunctory. Adults also need to brush their babies' teeth every now and then to thoroughly clean the teeth and conduct regular checks.

In short, it is very important to develop a habit of brushing teeth for babies aged 0-6 years old. Some babies may resist brushing their teeth because it is uncomfortable. Therefore, babies should be allowed to brush their teeth every day starting from the finger toothbrush stage. Adults should also be gentle when helping babies brush their teeth and try not to hurt the babies. Adults can also teach babies some nursery rhymes about brushing teeth, and guide them to play brushing "games" to make them happy and enjoy brushing their teeth. I hope every baby can have white and healthy teeth!