Are you one of those people who takes pristine care of their pearly whites? Or are you one of those people who frantically flosses the morning before your dental check-up?
Whichever camp you're in, it falls on you to help your little ones learn how to take good care of their teeth, including when they should learn about flossing.
Introduce oral hygiene practices at an early age
You should start flossing your toddlers' teeth once two of their teeth are touching (this usually happens when they're somewhere around two or three years old) or when you notice food gets stuck between their teeth.
It's important to floss your twins' teeth at this point because when their teeth are close enough that they're touching, it means their toothbrush can't remove the plaque that can build up between them.
Note, just like brushing their teeth, don't let your toddlers floss their own teeth, as they don't yet have the dexterity to do it properly or effectively themselves (this usually doesn't click until closer to age six or eight, when they're able to successfully tie their own shoes).
How to floss your children's teeth
When you're a toddler, it can be hard to see if you have any food stuck between your teeth, so it's a good idea to get some help (from an adult) when it's time to floss.
Though, having a twin helper to inspect your mouth can keep things interesting. I can't tell you how many times my twins have told me to open my mouth so they could see my uvula. It keeps them intrigued and wanting to learn about oral health, so I don't mind.
According to Colgate, here's how to floss your children's teeth in four easy steps:
- Dispense about 45 centimeters of floss.
- Wind the floss around your thumb and index finger at each end, until you have a short section of floss between your fingers to use. Gently slide the section of floss between your child's teeth.
- Adjust the floss into a 'C' shape curve around each tooth and slide it up and down gently along the side of the tooth and under the gum line.
- Use a fresh section of floss for each tooth to avoid reinserting food and biofilm.
Keep those pearly whites pristine
If you make flossing a part of your toddlers' daily brushing routine, it can help them establish good oral hygiene habits from an early age.
And remember, your kids are always watching what you their parents do. If you make a habit of brushing and flossing your own teeth in front of them at the same time each day and talk about the importance of keeping your teeth clean, it'll teach your toddlers that brushing and flossing are an integral part of starting and ending your day (flossing doesn't need to be done twice daily; just once after your evening meal is fine to get them into the habit of flossing every day).
If your twins aren't loving the idea of learning how to floss, try a different angle. See if they'll help you find monsters hiding between their teeth. Monsters make everything more fun (except when they're hiding under the bed).
When did you introduce your twins to flossing? Were they excited to learn about it? Let us know in the Comments section below or connect with us on Instagram to share your thoughts!
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