Dental Flossing for Kids in 3 Easy Steps

For the rest of your child’s life, brushing and flossing will be important for the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. You can insure that your child practices good oral health habits through adulthood by establishing a good oral hygiene routine early in life.

Pediatric dentists in Charlotte recommend that you start teaching your child how to floss as early as the age of 2 or 3 years old. Children of this age will require supervision and assistance as they attempt to clean their own teeth, but it’s important to establish regular flossing habits if you want to put them ahead of the oral health game by the time that they are adults.

Kids need to know that flossing is necessary for removing the dental plaque that is trapped between teeth in the crevices that cannot be reached with a toothbrush. The act of flossing should be performed once each day and may take approximately two minutes. The pediatric dentist can offer specific suggestions regarding how and when your child should floss.

Try these 3 easy steps to help your child learn to floss:

Step One: To begin, your child should cut off approximately 18 inches of floss.

Step Two: Wrap the ends of the floss around the middle or index finger on each hand.

Step Three: Gently guide the floss between the teeth, gently curving the floss around the tooth and sliding it carefully under the gum line. Children should understand that the goal of flossing is to clean the area between the gum line and the side of each tooth.

Floss is available in lots of colors and flavors, so try to find one that your child will like. It’s okay to make flossing something exciting to look forward to in order to increase your child’s chances of maintaining the habit. Some children prefer to use pre-threaded flossers or floss holders for better control.

Remember to be patient as your child masters the art of flossing. For more advice, consult a pediatric dentist in the Charlotte area today.