Your children’s teeth may not be as clean as you think.
“Most people just scan their teeth, they don’t brush them — especially children,” dental hygienist Margaret O’Quinn said.
Reciting the ABCs while brushing can help children brush for the necessary amount of time, O’Quinn said. As soon as teeth emerge, parents should help their children brush their teeth at least twice a day for a minimum of 30 seconds — increasing to two minutes as they grow older.
“Brush in circles on the outside surfaces and back and forth only on chewing surfaces,” she said.
O’Quinn recommends children drink through straws so that “soda and juice doesn’t come flush with their teeth,” she said. “Diluting juices with water is also helpful because it lessens the amount of sugar.”
Sugary drinks and foods accelerate the amount of harmful bacteria inside the mouth.
“Bacteria is most likely to build in between the teeth and in the pits in the tops of the teeth,” O’Quinn said. “Even carbs like chips are still considered decay-prone foods, but suckers and sodas are the worst.”
For more information about dental health, visit familydoctor.org/227.xml.
