Learning the Importance of Flossing at a Young Age

Teaching Your Children How to Floss

Flossing can be a real drag, but all dentists agree that it’s absolutely necessary to floss your teeth at least once a day to remove the bits of food and plaque buildup from between your teeth. In fact, it’s thought that those who are lax on flossing are much more likely to develop periodontal disease.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that flossing begin as your child’s first baby teeth come in. Flossing becomes especially important if any of your child’s teeth are touching the teeth next to them, or if they have any baby teeth that overlap.

By the time your child is 2 years old, you should be flossing their teeth no less often than twice a week, the ADA says, but flossing daily is still preferred, as flossing prevents the buildup of plaque between the teeth.

Plaque is a sticky yellow substance that forms on teeth after eating carbohydrates such as bread, milk, raisins, soft drinks, cakes and candy. If not removed by brushing and flossing, bacteria grows on the plaque, forming an acid that leads to tooth decay. Plaque can even get down past gums and destroy the root and damage the bone supporting the teeth.

How to Floss Your Child’s Teeth

To floss your child’s teeth yourself, wrap the floss around your fingers and gently glide it between the teeth in a c-shaped motion. Simply popping the floss up and down between teeth will not help remove plaque from below the gum line.

Remember – be gentle! If you force the floss between the teeth and it makes the gums bleed, you might turn your child off to flossing, leading him to believe that flossing is a painful procedure. Flossing shouldn’t hurt.
Also remember to use a new section of floss each time you go between the next two teeth. If you use the same section of floss for the whole mouth, or even for a while, you could spread harmful bacteria from one location in the mouth to another.

Lead By Example

By the time your child is in second or third grade, she should have the motor skills required to floss her own teeth, and if you have been flossing them for her since she was a toddler, she should have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done.

The best way to transition from flossing for your child and allowing him to do it himself is to have him watch you floss, so he not only knows how it feels, but also sees what it should look like in the mirror as he flosses his own teeth.
Be a good example to your kids, too. Make sure they see you floss at least once daily.

Take an Extra Step

For optimal oral health, consider adding an oral care probiotic to your brushing and flossing routine. The easy-to-use EvoraPlus mints can help crowd out the harmful bacteria in the mouth giving healthy bacteria a good foothold while freshening your breath and gently whitening your teeth.

Oral care probiotics for kids are also available in a delicious wild very berry cherry chew called EvoraKids. EvoraKids can reach into the cracks and crevices where toothbrushes and flossing simply cannot.