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at Riverside Dental Group would like to share some flossing information by age, so that your child will have a leg-up with their oral hygiene.    

Flossing: Preschool

The way we feed toddlers in the United States often revolves around sticky, sugary, and carb-heavy snacks. Even supposed healthy choices such as raisins, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and fortified fruit snacks brimming with vitamins and minerals can actually be a recipe for tooth decay. Once your child has an excess of tartar buildup on their teeth, they will need to have it cleaned off by a dental hygienist at a six month dental checkup. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to instill independent flossing in children that are very young. So it’s up to you as a parent to make the flossing effort at least once a day. Sit your child on your lap, and gently glide the floss between each tooth space in a sawing motion. Flossing before you brush is a new idea that makes a lot of sense if you want to be able to brush away the food particles that you floss out.

Flossing: Adolescence

Children start to develop more independence at different ages, depending on the individual. The general rule of thumb is that your child should have supervision and/or help with brushing and flossing at least until they’re eight-years-old. You are responsible for gauging your child’s personal hygiene commitments. You may want to continue to be highly involved in their oral hygiene practices until you are certain that they are truly invested in doing a good job twice a day without your help.

Visit You Moreno Valley Dentists

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