At Spotlight Oral Care, creating safe, effective oral care solutions for children is our priority. Looking after their oral health begins with a great cleaning routine and is the first step toward helping them establish a positive, lifelong relationship with their oral health and their smile. 

How Often To Brush A Child's Teeth

Children should brush their teeth and gums twice a day for 2 minutes each time to ensure thorough cleaning is achieved and maintained. There are many misconceptions about the best time to brush teeth, but as dentists, we recommend brushing teeth first thing in the morning, before breakfast, and last thing at night, at least 1 hour after they have finished eating to avoid acid erosion and to ensure the active ingredients from the toothpaste embed into teeth and gums. 

How To Brush A Child's Teeth

Cleaning Techniques 

When brushing, children should aim the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards the gum line and brush gently, using a circular motion. Repeat on the inside surfaces and use a light back and forth motion on the chewing surfaces of teeth. Make sure children do not scrub their teeth as this can wear down tooth enamel. 

Gums require brushing too. Gums are where plaque starts to grow, forming along the gum line and growing down to the tip of the tooth. That’s why it’s so important to teach children to brush at an angle, half on the gum and half of the tooth, to ensure proper plaque control and to prevent tooth decay and cavities

Remind children to never rinse their mouth out after brushing teeth. The active ingredients in toothpaste should embed and dissolve into the tooth surface. Rinsing out their mouth after brushing will wash away all of those active ingredients. Instead, teach children to leave toothpaste in their mouth for extended protection against decay and gum disease. 

Clean Formulations 

It’s important that you choose a toothpaste that contains Fluoride for your child. Without this essential active ingredient, the toothpaste cannot protect your child’s teeth and gums properly.

Children’s mouths are 50 times more absorbent than their skin, so every ingredient that goes into your child’s toothpaste matters. Always use a clean, toxin-free, clinically proven formulation. 

At Spotlight Oral Care, we use only the highest quality clean, active ingredients, and all of our oral care solutions are free from sulphates, microbeads, palm oils, parabens, triclosan, DEA, and SLS

Children's toothpastes should have a slightly lower amount of Fluoride and a milder minty taste, which is ideal for them, as their taste buds are very sensitive. Our Spotlight Oral Care Toothpaste for Children is a great option as it contains the active ingredient Fluoride, and is clinically proven to reduce and prevent early tooth decay. It comes in a mild mint flavor, strengthens enamel, and ensures gentle cleansing for kids of all ages. 

Flossing

You may have thought flossing was just for grown-ups, but flossing for children is essential. Flossing helps to get rid of food debris that gets caught between their teeth which can act as a breeding ground for bacteria and contributes to plaque buildup. All of our Dental Floss is dipped in clean, active ingredients and made from 100% recycled plastic, making it an effective and safe oral care essential for children and the planet. We recommend that children floss once a day. 

Tips On Brushing Teeth For Children

Create a Regular Oral Care Routine 

Creating positive and healthy dental care routines with your child from an early age will help ensure they enjoy good oral and dental health for the rest of their lives. 

When incorporating oral care into your child’s everyday routine, it’s important to keep it consistent so it’s not a shock to them when it’s time to brush. We recommend brushing before they get dressed as it can get quite messy. Regularity also brings a structure and normalcy to the routine and will help guide children to implement it in their daily lives. This is key because if you skip it once or twice then they might think it’s optional and that’s when it can become challenging to maintain regular brushing and cleaning. 

Make Oral Care Fun 

There are several ways to make cleaning and brushing teeth fun for children. 

  • Children always look up to their older siblings or parents so if they see you brushing they will want to be just like you. 
  • Use an egg timer, set to 2 minutes, as a simple way to encourage your child to brush their teeth for the optimal time. 
  • Using a reward chart is a perfect way to motivate your child to brush both morning and night. See rewardchart4kids.com for more. 
  • Apps that you may find helpful include Brush DJ, Brush Up and Brush Teeth with the Wiggles, all of which encourage bruising and make oral care fun rather than a chore. 

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