Until what age should you assist your child in brushing his/her teeth?
As a Pediatric Dentist, I always come across curious parents who are keen to know if they should assist or only instruct their child in brushing their teeth and until what age?
To begin with, as per the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD): Parents should help or watch over their kids’ tooth brushing abilities until they’re at least 8-years-old.
So how do you judge, if you should help or watch your child brushing?
Many children can brush their teeth well between 6-8 years of age. I advise parents to supervise their brushing to ensure they are getting the job done well. However, if your child can tie their shoelaces by themselves without any help from you or their siblings, then they may have the manual dexterity to brush their teeth themselves.
For younger kids, parents may need to brush their child’s teeth for them as they might not be able to clean that well without their parent’s assistance. Use a position that prevents your child from wiggling while you brush their teeth. I will be writing more on this in my next blog.
Finally, the best way to ensure your child’s teeth stay healthy for a lifetime is to make sure he or she brushes regularly and have dental checkups every six months.
If you have any queries, you can always get in touch with me through my contact us page and I would be happy to help.
Happy Parenting!!!