Posted

at Riverside Dental Group will offer you some tips on how to help children develop the very important flossing habit.

Preschool Aged Flossing

Toddlers can often be seen going about their business of playing and exploring with either a sippy-cup of juice in hand, or a container full of high-carbohydrate snacks. The diets of babies (once they start eating solid food) in America tend to be sticky, sugary, and carb-heavy. Raisins, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and fortified snacks that boast vitamins and minerals might sound healthy. Unfortunately, these foods tend to create an excess of plaque buildup on your little one’s teeth.

It will be very difficult to teach any sort of independent flossing to a two, three, or four-year-old. However, parents should make the effort once a day (after brushing) to seat their preschool- aged child on their lap. Be sure to wrap a generous amount of dental floss around each middle finger. Gently glide the floss between each tooth space in a sawing motion. By making this a regular daily self-care activity, your child will never remember a time when they didn’t floss.

Adolescents and Flossing

Even as children begin to grow and develop more independence, helping them with their dental care will still be necessary up until they’re about eight-years-old. You know your child’s level of commitment, and dexterity, so make a judgment on whether or not they’re capable of the commitment to doing a good job with brushing and flossing, regardless of age. Don’t forget to implement your own oral hygiene practices daily, in front of your child. Modeling good dental self-care habits will be almost as important as teaching them to brush their teeth.

Visit You Moreno Valley Dentists

If you or your child are due for a dental checkup, or any general dentistry services schedule an appointment at our Moreno Valley dentist office by contacting us at (951) 697-6800. Located in the 92533 area, we proudly serve patients from Moreno Valley and all surrounding communities.