There is a lot of things you have to do as a parent. As a child grows there are many things they are not able to do on their own. They depend on you to feed them, change them and get them where they need to go to name only a very small few. You also have to take a lot of time and effort to teach them about the world and how to care for their own body. A healthy diet, exercise and of course how to stay clean. This can be a real struggle when you are dealing with a messy little toddler but it is important. One area of their hygiene that you have to take over and continue to teach about is their oral health. They don’t have the ability to get all their teeth cleaned properly and floss when they need to. You want to also make sure they know about how to take care of their toothbrush as well. The toothbrush is a necessary tool and if it is not taken care of you are not going to get the cleanliness that you need. Smile Reef outlines what you need to know about taking care of your children’s toothbrush.
Negative Health Effects of Sharing a Toothbrush
It seems like your toddler wants to share just about everything with everyone. They will pull food off your plate or grab your shoes to walk around in. They love to share but when it comes to your toothbrush you want to make sure that you keep them all separate. The great thing is that they have many colors and brands that you can choose from. Get your child used to their specific one and make sure that they use only their own. The toothbrush can hold some bacteria that might come when your child is sick that you want to keep from transferring to someone else. This is a great way to keep germs from being shared.
Store Toothbrush Properly
One mistake you might be making when teaching your child how to care for their oral health is how they care for the toothbrush. You want to make sure that you clean the toothbrush thoroughly after you brush. You want to make sure that you rinse off the toothbrush and remove any leftover toothpaste. You also want to make sure that you keep the brush in an upright position so that the bristles can dry in the air. When you put it in a case or you put it in a drawer you are creating a space for bacteria and germs to grow. This can be dangerous to your child when they go to brush their teeth again.
Change Toothbrush Every 3 Months
You also want to make sure that you replace the toothbrush on a regular basis. The bristles can become damaged and worn out and that is why they need to be replaced. It is a good idea to keep an eye on the toothbrush and if it is damaged replace. Otherwise have it replaced every few months so that you have a fresh brush ready to go before it is damaged.
Pediatric Dental Care
Smile Reef can help to teach your kids about the best way to care for their oral health as well as the tools they need to use. Call us today!
