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Milling Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric Dental Blog

How Do I Floss My Child’s Teeth?

When I was a child, my parents gave me chores to do around the house, and one of those chores was to vacuum.  From the age that I began vacuuming until I was in college, I vacuumed in no certain way.  I just made sure that I vacuumed all of the floor.  As I got to know my future husband in college, I learned that there was a specific way that vacuuming “should be done.”  It should be completed in straight lines, slightly overlapping the previous line to create an orderly vacuuming pattern on the carpet that looks neat and precise.  After I finished a very directed eye roll, I decided vacuuming was not my thing.

I feel like flossing can be similar.  People try it off and on again but never consistently, then the dentist or hygienist shows them how they should be flossing.  It can put people off, and they decide they are never going to be good at flossing, so why bother?  Please do not be put off by this blog post!  I am going to display how and where the floss should go to be effective.  I am also going to discuss a few different tools you can use, so you can decide what works for you and your child.

When should you begin flossing your child’s teeth? 
When your child’s teeth begin to touch.  This is typically around the age of 2-5.

How should I start flossing?
Children tend to imitate their parents, so when it is time to start flossing, have your child watch you floss.  You can let them hold the floss, taste the flavor, and let it pique their interest.  Do not let your child use floss or play with floss unsupervised.  It can be a strangulation hazard or damage gums if used inappropriately.  Always watch your child while playing with floss.  Once they have gotten used to seeing floss and looking forward to “flossing time,” you can start adding it to their daily routine.  Maybe one day you get one tooth flossed and the next day you get two teeth flossed.  The key is being consistent with it.

What kind of floss is best?
I get this question frequently.  My typical response is, “Whatever kind of floss you will use.”  I have learned in dental school that traditional floss is what is the “best.”  But some people are not able to use that, especially parents who are flossing young children’s teeth.  I have found that a lot of times when parents are told this, they go home, try it once, fail, and decide that it is not worth the fight.  With my own child, I have found the flossers most successful.  Children like the bright colors, and it is less of a mouthful than a bunch of fingers and string.  But if your child allows you to use traditional floss, go for it!

What are my flossing options?
1. Traditional floss
2. Disposable floss picks
3. Non-disposable floss picks (use traditional floss to wrap around the pick and replace the floss after every use)

What is not a flossing option?
1. Interdental brushes or dental picks – these can remove plaque between teeth, but it can never get the little bit right beneath where the two teeth contact.  The contact point is where cavities begin.  These brushes and picks can be helpful in cleaning the gums but are not a substitute for flossing
2. Water picks or flossers – the same reason as the interdental brushes and picks.  You need something that goes straight down between the teeth to remove all the plaque that can cause cavities

What if my child’s gums bleed when I floss?
Many times parents say that they see their child’s gums bleed when they floss, so they must be flossing too hard and they stop flossing.  Is it possible to floss too hard?  YES.  Is this likely the problem?  No.  The reason our gums bleed when we floss is because, the plaque that has been collecting between our teeth irritates our gums.  Our body’s response to an irritant is to increase the blood flow to that area to aid in stopping a bacterial invasion.  You do not need to stop flossing.  You need to floss more!  As you become consistent with flossing, you will have less bacteria between the teeth and the gums will have no need to have extra blood flow to these areas, and the bleeding will stop.  When you first begin flossing, your gums may be sore.  That will also subside as the gums become less inflamed. 

When flossing, try to stay against the tooth. Plaque does not stick to your gums; it sticks to your teeth. Slide the floss down the side of the tooth until you have just reached below the gum surface.
You do not need to put pressure on the gums. Simply slide the floss below the gums surface and curve the floss to cup the side of the tooth to clean as much tooth structure as possible. Before pulling the floss back through the teeth, do the same thing to the tooth next to it. Then repeat between each tooth.

Posted In: Children's Oral Health

Meet Emilee

Most importantly, I am a mom who loves and wants what is best for her children.  Secondly, I am a pediatric dentist who wants to help you tackle common problems like being able to brush your child's teeth, tips on your child stopping the pacifier, and strategies to improve oral home care.  Thirdly, I am a human that is in survival mode just like everyone else.  Deep breath!  You've got this!

Milling Pediatric Dentistry

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