Educating children on how to take care of their teeth is important to ensure proper tooth development. Good dental health has nothing but benefits: the child will be able to eat better, speak better and have good self-esteem. Here’s our advice on dental hygiene for kids.

Birth to first tooth: From birth, we recommend cleaning your baby’s gums every day. This will help remove bacteria and residues of formula or breast milk. To do this, wrap a clean, soft, damp cloth around your index finger and hold your baby. Gently rub the child’s gums, inner cheeks and palate, moving from back to front, and remove any remaining milk or formula.

From the first tooth: As soon as the first tooth starts to erupt, between the ages of 6 and 12 months, it can be brushed with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Gums and tongue can also be brushed. We recommend brushing your child’s teeth at least 2 times a day, ESPECIALLY before bedtime. A very small amount of toothpaste should be used: the equivalent of a grain of rice for children under 3 and a pea for children aged 3 to 6. Parents should help their children brush their teeth until they are able to do so themselves. When using fluoride toothpaste, it is important to spit out excess toothpaste and not rinse the mouth with water, to allow the fluoride to continue protecting the teeth. However, you must be careful not to let the child swallow the toothpaste, as fluoride can cause irreversible stains (fluorosis) on adult teeth.

Flossing: The earlier you introduce flossing into a child’s routine, the longer the habit will remain ingrained. When they’re younger, parents can help them floss between their teeth using floss picks, and when they’re older, they can floss themselves. Flossing once a day is all it takes to maintain good dental health.