Infants and Toddlers
For infants and toddlers, lay your child down on a bed or your lap. This works for older children as well. Support their mouth in an open position by gently placing your index finger behind the last tooth in the mouth and between the upper and lower gums (be sure your finger is on gums only because if it gets near a tooth, even a small unintentional bite can be very painful.) This keeps your child's mouth open so you can reach all the surfaces of their teeth with a toothbrush and makes flossing with a floss stick possible.
Flossing
For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can't reach, dental floss is used to remove food particles and plaque. Dental floss is a thin thread of waxed nylon that is used to reach below the gum line and clean between teeth. Once Dr. Gunsaulis has examined your child's mouth she can recommend what age you will need to start flossing your child's teeth. When your child has reached this critical stage (when the teeth touch side-by-side and you can't see space between each tooth), it will be necessary to floss once every day.
Pull a length of floss from the dispenser that is comfortable to wrap around both middle fingers with enough room between to reach all teeth. Guide the floss between all teeth to the gum line, pulling out any food particles or plaque. Unwrap clean floss from around your fingers as you go, so that you have used the floss from beginning to end when you are finished. Floss behind all of your child's back teeth, too.
You may floss your child's teeth anytime during the day, but it is best to floss about the same time every day in order to create a habit. When you first begin flossing, your child's gums may bleed. Bleeding gums are a sign of gingivitis and it is important to continue brushing and flossing this area. If the bleeding does not go away with continued brushing and flossing, let us know.