In children, the best time to start teaching proper teeth care is at any early age. The reason is that good habits are started early. Plus, most people may view a child’s teeth as those that are replaceable, however, though they are just baby teeth, it is important that they are still taken care of because they can have the same problems as adult teeth in terms of cavities and plaque problems.
It is best to start kids out with a child’s toothbrush and the toothpaste that is okay if it is swallowed. This starts them in the habit of brushing their teeth properly. In order to get the child interested, let them choice their own toothbrush and toothpaste. This is a great way to get them excited.
Let the kids watch their parents brush their teeth so that they see how the process is completed. The parents should also stand with their children while they are brushing to make sure that they are doing it properly and to correct them when they mess up, so that these good habits are learned early.
Kids should still brush their teeth at least twice a day. The best time to do this is when they first wake up and when they go to bed. This gets them into a routine, which is important for children to have. Once the child has mastered the safe toothpaste, then move them up to a child’s toothpaste that has fluoride in the paste to help strengthen their teeth. There are tons of toothpastes on the market that taste like bubblegum or some other kid friendly flavor, as most kids are not ready for the mint flavor that adults use on a daily basis.
Overall, though the baby teeth are not as important as permanent teeth, the habits that kids establish with their baby teeth leads into their adult life. In most cases its not worth it to try to do any type of teeth whitening even if the baby teeth are stained or discolored.