Helping Your Child With Their Daily Brushing
The basics of looking after big teeth
Now that their permanent teeth have come through, there are a few basis rules that are worth following.
Diet – Try to limit sugary foods and acidic drinks to mealtimes.
Brushing – By the age of seven, your child should be able to brush properly on their own. But it’s no bad thing to check every now and then to make sure they doing a good job of it. They should be brushing twice a day with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste like Aquafresh Big Teeth and a soft-bristled brush like the Aquafresh Big Teeth Toothbrush. You might also like to start them using Aquafresh Big Teeth Mouthwash too. For the best ways to keep big teeth sparkling clean, check out our Brushing Demo.
Dentist visits – When your child starts getting their permanent teeth, it’s more important than ever to make sure they go on regular dentist visits. As well as catching any potential problems before they become painful, it’ll help set your child up with good dental health for life.
Independent brushing
After turning seven, your child will be feeling very big grown up and will enjoy the independence of brushing their teeth themselves. As long as you check that they’re doing it right and give them some pointers every now and then, this shouldn’t be a problem the teeth.
But as a few simple reminders:
- They should brush each tooth with a gentle circular motion and remember to include the gums.
- It’s important to clean the front, back top and bottom but not with too much force – a gentle scrub does the job.
- It takes two whole minutes of brushing to get a proper clean.
- Encourage them to spit, but not rinse their mouths afterwards so the fluoride will continue to protect their teeth.
- At the age of six, it might also be a good idea for them to start using fluoride mouthwash like Aquafresh Big Teeth Mouthwash
Fun ways to explain the importance of good brushing
It’s much easier to get your child to brush properly if they understand that it’s important. Sometimes, this is a little easier said than done. But even so, there are still plenty of fun things you can do to get them into good brushing habits.
Having a Toothbrushing Star Chart is a really simple and effective way to encourage regular brushing. Each time they brush properly, put a sticker on their chart. And when they’ve got enough stars, give them a reward. Introducing fun activities into their brushing routine is another way to help them understand that they need to brush properly every time too. A daily game of Feed the Plugulp should get them going. And if you want to teach them the best ways to brush, our Brushing Demo is just the ticket.