Good brushing habits should begin as soon as your child’s first tooth erupts. You should begin cleaning your child’s teeth daily at that point. When your child is old enough to understand not to swallow their toothpaste, you can put a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste on the brush and allow them to brush their teeth, while you supervise to be sure your child is doing a complete and thorough job.

Children need to brush all surfaces of the teeth using a circular motion. Show them how to first brush all outer surfaces on the upper and lower teeth. Next, they should brush all inner surfaces. Last, they should brush all chewing surfaces. As an important final touch, they should brush their tongue.

You can help make sure your child’s first experience to the dentist is happy and positive by talking about the upcoming visit and using positive words. Avoid using scary words such as “drill,” “needle,” or “hurt.” Truly there is nothing a young child has to fear at early dentist visits, so there is no reason to “prepare” for something unpleasant. As a mom or dad, even if you have had some dental challenges yourself, you should stay relaxed and calm — otherwise your child can sense your fear or anxiety about the dentist. When you and your child arrive at Smile Explorers for your appointment, the pediatric dentists and staff will work to make the whole experience the best possible for everyone!

Experts at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend children visit a pediatric dentist as soon as their first tooth appears, or when they turn one year old. At your child’s first visit to Smile Explorers, we look for potential problems and help your child discover we are friendly. Early dental visits help children find a trip to the dentist to be positive and anxiety-free.