At age 6, my son's milk teeth are all intact. Though he had his first teeth earlier than other babies, I thought he will lose them earlier too.
When he had his annual check up, I asked the dentist when will he lose his milk teeth. She said it will be around 6-7 years old.
She added, Matthew has strong teeth and has less cavities too.
That's because he has regular dental check up starting almost two years ago. (Read: Throwback Thursday: Matthew Andrei + Nutri10 Plus Syrup + Ceelin Chewables)
Dental check up can be earlier or as soon as your child has their first set of teeth. But in my case, I purposely delayed it for fear that he might have phobia with the dentist (based on my experience). I want him to be ready before his first dental check up but I also make sure we care for his milk teeth properly.
Also, choosing the right toothbrush is very important. Let me share some tips on how to choose the right toothbrush for your child.
The Size
Toothbrush is not one size fits all. Our child's mouth is definitely smaller than ours. So they should have smaller toothbrush with heads generally about 1" long and 1/2" wide. Or the size that will allow the bristles to reach around the backside of the furthest molar teeth in the mouth on both sides.
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The Bristles
Always choose soft bristles. This is to prevent gum injuries and enamel damage. You know children are always in a rush and might end up brushing too fast or too hard. This may lead to sensitive teeth because of over-aggressive brushing. So go for soft bristles when ever in doubt.
The Grip
Have you noticed that even how small the kids brush are, the grip are larger? This is because children still lacks manual dexterity or skills to brush their teeth thoroughly. So a larger grip will help them better.
Manual or Electric?
When it comes to choosing between manual and electric-powered toothbrush, you must consider your child's preference. Some kids like the whirl of a electric-powered toothbrush while others don't mind it at all. But since children still lacks manual dexterity or skills to brush their teeth thoroughly, an electric-powered toothbrush is a big help. Especially because electric-powered toothbrush has different brushing modes that can help improve oral health.
Design
For younger kids, the toothbrush's design is important. Important means when they like the design, they like to use it and so loving to regularly brush their teeth will follow. But then again, you must consider the four above first before considering the design.
Experts Advice
Consider also what's your pediatric dentist's advice is. They should know what is a toothbrush that undergone thorough quality control tests for efficiency and more importantly, for safety.
So there you go some tips on how to choose the right toothbrush for your child.
Read also: Do you care about your Baby’s Milk Teeth?
