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How to Brush Children’s Teeth [How to Brush Your Teeth]

Around the time that children start elementary school, they are in an important stage where the transition from milk teeth to permanent teeth takes place. Until they turn 8 to 9 years old, parents should perform final polishing once each day.

Points to note
  • The enamel of newly-erupted permanent teeth is immature and susceptible to caries.
  • Parents should brush areas of their children’s teeth that have not been brushed sufficiently after the child has brushed on their own, until the age of 8 or 9.

Tooth Brushing for Children

Children need to practice learning how to brush their teeth correctly. The following are the brushing methods for each growth stage.

Brushing Method for Each Growth Stage

Parent Brushes Child’s Teeth

From 1 -2 years of age: the parent brushes the child's teeth with the child lying on their lapLying Down

Start brushing your child’s teeth once teething begins. First, allow the baby to become accustomed with a toothbrush. Hold the toothbrush just like you hold a pencil, lay the infant with its head on your knee and brush their teeth.
In addition, brush the four chewing surface areas between the molars and the upper front teeth with extra care, as these areas are susceptible to caries. Properly place the bristle tips of the toothbrush against the teeth, and move the brush gently in small motions.

Final Polishing

From 2 - 6 years of age: The parent brushes the child’s teeth after the child brushes on their ownStanding

This stage is an important period in which children go through rapid changes inside their mouths: all of their milk teeth emerge, their jaws grow larger and gaps start appearing between their teeth, and their first permanent teeth (first molars) emerge. Parents should perform a final polishing after a child brushes on their own. Particularly, short molars that are starting to emerge or areas where teeth are misaligned due to the transition to permanent teeth are hard to reach with a toothbrush. Brush these areas carefully, using techniques such as inserting the toothbrush at an angle from the side and moving the brush in small motions.

Checkup Brushing

The transition from milk teeth to permanent teeth begins and permanent teeth emerge. Permanent teeth are very important teeth that your child will use for the rest of their life. After your child has brushed their teeth on their own, brush the areas they did not brush sufficiently. Consider the tooth surface as three separate areas: brush the center area using the entire area of the tips of the bristles and brush the left and right contact areas using the edge of the bristles.
In addition, brush newly erupted molars (six-year molars) with extra care, as they are not only soft and vulnerable to acid, but short in height.

 Brush the areas where the child did not brush sufficiently, after they have brushed their teeth on their own. Consider the tooth surface to be three separate areas: brush the center area using the entire area of the bristle tips and brush the left and right contact areas using the edge of the bristles.Checkup brushing

Trivia

“At what age should tooth brushing start for children?”

Tooth brushing is not necessary for infants before their teeth begin to emerge. Usually, an infant begins teething at around 6 to 7 month of age, although it depends on the individual. During this stage where the front teeth start emerging, tooth brushing is also in a stage of preparation.
If you place a hard toothbrush into an infant’s mouth and begin scrubbing, it will shock them; therefore, you should start slowly.
The first goal is for the infant to become acquainted with having a toothbrush placed in their mouth rather than brushing their teeth, so that they will not develop a dislike for having their teeth brushed.
Brushing an infant’s teeth is very difficult until you become familiar with it. Therefore, just perform it once a day at first, when the infant is in a good mood. Once you have become familiar with it, brush 1 to 3 times a day, according to the frequency of meals.