Children should develop tooth brushing and flossing skills that will promote healthy teeth and gums. Parents should brush and floss the teeth of young children. Four- or five-year-olds may be ready to do their own brushing but flossing skills take longer to master.
A toothpaste containing fluoride can be effective as a dental decay fighter. Just one pea-sized drop on the brush is all that a child needs. Children should be taught to spit out all remaining toothpaste after brushing is finished and then rinse with water.
Making circles in the sand or while finger-painting is an activity that most children find fun and relaxing. Tooth brushing can also include circles as a brushing technique. The circular brushing methods, or Fones technique, is a natural brushing method to use with young children who want to do their own brushing but do not have the muscle development for techniques that require more coordination.
To help young children learn this method and have fun too, ask the child to stretch out his or her arms so they are parallel to the floor. Begin by asking the child to make big circles using the whole arm to draw circles in the air. Then ask the child to make smaller circles and finally, very small circles in front of their mouth.
Now the child is ready to make circles on the teeth with the toothbrush being sure the teeth and gums are covered in the circular motion.
To be effective, tooth brushing should remove dental plaque from the outer, inner and chewing surfaces as well as the surface of the tongue. You can help your child by directing the sequence of the brushing so that all of these surfaces have been brushed.
The toothbrush should be replaced when the bristles are bent or frayed and should be a soft bristle brush with the bristle ends rounded. A fluoride toothpaste should be used with only a pea-sized amount of paste on the brush. You will need to monitor the amount of toothpaste used and be sure the paste is not swallowed.
The use of dental floss to remove plaque in between the teeth requires more manual dexterity than young children have and should be done for the child.
While plaque removal can be a joint effort, parents should be sure that all teeth have been brushed and all plaque removed.
Children should see a dentist at least twice a year for an annual check-up starting with their first visit by age three.

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