At what age should you introduce flossing to a child? Any good ideas on how to do it? My older daughter turns 3 next month and I think its too early but I was just wondering.
Thank you all for your input. I did get the flossers. She saw the package and was curious about it and watched my husband use one. The next morning after brushing her teeth, I had her lay her head in my lap as recommended. We did it in front of her favorite TV show so she could focus on that. She did great! We've been doing it every morning since. She doesn't really need it on the top yet, but the bottom teeth definitely touch, so I feel good that we are flossing them now. After this package of flossers runs out I'll probably switch her to regular floss. I hate throwing away all that plastic, knowing it will end up in a landfill. So thank you all!
The sooner the better to start those good habits--The floss picks work well for the younger kids to try to do it themselves and I always finish the job!
I would start now! My son at 5 has cavities from not flossing. Said he had great oral hygeine, great job brushing ...but since we didnt floss the food builds up and causes cavities.
I asked that question last time I saw my dentist for a cleaning. They said start at 2 years old (or earlier if your child's teeth came in earlier than my daughter's did, hers started coming a little after she turned 1). If your daughters teeth have good spacing you will just be doing it really to get into the habit. They also suggested using the floss sticks, they come in different sizes just get the smaller ones.
according to my dentist three is the right age. we have started off with doing it every few days and letting her do it herself some other days.
My answer would be when you can, the earlier you start, the better.
Now you have to be realistic. Even though we started with her brushing before she even had her first teeth, my daughter HATES it and I barely manage to brush her teeth under screaming protest twice a day. NO WAY I could floss her teeth without causing injury to her gums, because she simply wriggles to much.
At three they usually understand that something, even if unpleasant, needs to be done and will be ok with it.
Good Luck!
I was told by our pediatric dentist too start regular flossing when my kid's teeth are closer together, and then to keep up a schedule of about three times a week. She told me that food and plague build-up aren't a huge problem until their teeth start touching. She also showed me how to brush and floss their teeth by having them rest their head in my lap. Just sit on the floor and have them lay down so their head is cradled in your legs. You'll have an upside down view of their mouth, but this keeps their head stable and lets you see better what you're doing. As far as getting them to cooperate, I just do the best I can! It definitely gets easier as they are better able to understand the purpose. One thing that helped my kids become more concerned was when their dentist told them that the germs will eat the food stuck in their mouths and then poop on their teeth. Kind of a yucky description, but it did the trick!
At my son's 6 month dental visit I was told to start flossing (he only had 6 teeth at the time). I was surprised because he teeth were so clean with just brushing but that is what they said. They sent us home with those little plastic 'tools' with the tooth floss already preloaded.
I am a dental hygienist. The other responses are exactly correct . . . as soon as your child has two adjacent teeth where food, debris, or bacteria (too small for you to see) can get lodged, that is the time to start flossing! I began flossing my son's teeth when he was 11 months old. As with brushing, I floss first, then let him hold the floss and "practice." I use I use the Johnson & Johnson Gentle Gum Care woven floss in the blue package because it is embedded with fluoride, so it is also getting fluoride between my son's teeth. In addition, it tastes good, so he likes it. Using the little flossers is fine, too. I find it much easier if I have my son lie down on the bed when I floss his teeth . . . this stabilizes his head and gives me a good view. Also, it is only necessary to floss once daily (the bacteria needs to be disrupted every 24 hours to keep it from colonizing and causing damage), so we have made it part of our bedtime routine. You will need to be your daughter's primary flosser until she can demonstrate an ability to do it effectively herself (usually around 8 or 9 years old--when she's able to write cursive fluently). Incidentally, most parents don't realize this, but you should also continue to brush your child's teeth daily until that point--they just don't have the coordination before then to do a good job themselves. I hope this helps!
As per our dentist's request, we've been flossing since he was at least 2 years old. I recall at the 3 year appointment that the dentist really stressed the importance of flossing even though the only place my son's teeth were touching were a few molars. Thus, it is not too young to introduce flossing. However, just like the brushing of the teeth, you will be the one flossing your child's teeth at this age.
Your dentist should be able to tell you.
Ours had us start once our son's teeth started touching. Until then, the gaps between them made it unnecessary. It started with just two places on the right side of his mouth...and has gradually progressed to all of his teeth. With our son's mouth and the way his teeth came in we didn't have to start flossing until after his 5 year old molars, and grown up teeth came in.
We started taking our son to the dentsist every 6 months when he was about 2 years old. Maybe a little younger. He had 4 up and 4 down before we started taking him, but you can theoretically start taking them even before their teeth start coming in.
The sooner the better. We started flossing both our kids teeth before 1 year. Our dentist said to start flossing whenever you have teeth that touch each other.
S.:
My daughter is 3 turning 4 very soon & I have been brushing & flossing her teeth since she started getting them. I personally have a big thing about teeth so I am big about brushing & flossing. I would both brush & floss in front of my daughter & she just seemed to want to do what mommy was doing. Even when she had 2-4 teeth I did it just cause it creates good habits. At times, I will just hand her some floss so she feels like a big girl & then I will go through & floss for her. Usually doesn't take long since most their teeth are not as tightly pushed together as ours at their age. Many people think you floss just to get food out of your teeth but that is untrue. You floss also to removed the plaque that your toothbrush cannot reach. Children have this problem too when they grow teeth... (they have STINKY breath too) I remember speaking to my dentist & they say introducing brushing & flossing at a young age is good, they just won't do anything jurastic during the dental visits. The 1st dental visit my daughter had, they just looked at her teeth & then rewarded her. The 2nd visit, they just checked, polished & flossed her teeth... & then rewarded her again. I peronally think that introducing it to her right now would be great... not too early. :) I am sure she will enjoy it because it's something new as long as you make it seem FUN!
S. - My son turns 3 next month as well. I just took him to the dentist for the first time (Dr. Sun in Fircrest - AMAZING) and they said we should be flossing daily. So now we do. We use the little tools that have the floss threaded on the end and it works great. My son loves it and is very dilligent about wanting to have it done each night.
You have to start flossing as soon as they have teeth that touch, but it is a good idea to start between 2 and 3 to get them used to the feel of floss on their gums and to instill it as a habit. Big lots (and a few other stores) have kid single use flossers that make the job more fun. My son's are dinosaurs and trains.
our three year old uses little flossers that are made for kids - he lays down, with his head in my lap or on a pillow, and i floss - he then does it too...if her teeth are close together, you should floss!
Our dentist said to start right away when we took our daughter in at 2.5 so I think it is ok for you to start working on it now.
You can buy little flossers that are shaped like animals. I feel this is safer for little ones and you can do the flossing without shoving your hand in their little mouth.
We got and still use the floss picks you can get in the grocery store to help our daughter be able to floss better as managing regular floss is a little hard for little hands and fingers to get every single tooth.
You could start teaching your child how to floss now. What I did was buy some of the those floss picks. They are easier for little hands to hold and you don't have the hassle of trying to teach them how to wind up some regular floss. My son loves these and sometimes, some stores have them in great kid designs and colors!
As soon as there are two teeth next to each other you should start flossing.
Your daughter should have been to the dentist by now. What has the dentist advised you to do?
FYI, we used to be good about flossing our 4yo's teeth. We got slack about it and she just finished up getting four fillings. The time for proper brushing and flossing is now.
