Is the brushing technique the same for everyone?
The method of brushing teeth should not be regulated only depending on the age of the child, but also depending on the periodontal biotype. Medium-thin and subtle biotypes must be identified as early as the age of 6, from the time of the inferior incisal eruption, and to parents it can be explained ass long crowns and long and thin papilla requiring particularly delicate brushing techniques. For these patients, the "rolled" movement should be established early on with respect to the only rotating movement and the direction towards soft brush bristles is mandatory.
Is toothpaste needed?
Plaque is a microfilm made up of food residues mixed with saliva, with a high bacterial concentration. From a chemical point of view, it is a mostly water-soluble material attached to the teeth for mechanical retention. In the light of this, the role of toothpaste is diminished. The plaque removal must be done through a mechanical brushing action and the ability of the toothpaste to dissolve it is extremely limited.
Toothpaste has a refreshing and rewarding function, in addition to carry fluorides to enamel and/or medications such as chlorexidine in medicated products.
For these reasons, especially when it comes to oral hygiene guidelines, it is important to concentrate on the meaning of brushing and not to stimulate younger children to use toothpaste, as it can become unappreciated or ingested in excessive amounts.
Oral Hygiene vs. Food Hygiene
Cavities are certainly a disease of well-being, that is, they are linked to the mass introduction of simple sugars and starches in the diet of the population. Before the drastic change in eating habits, cavities were far less common.
Food education should therefore have the same weight as information on how to maintain proper oral hygiene. Great attention should be given to forming families to distinguish quality, consistency and frequency of food intake rather than the absolute value of the amount of sugar.
For example, the message that ice cream, especially the kind in a cup, stimulates the production of cavities much less than a chocolate cream spread on a slice of bread, which is not due to the intrinsic sugar content, which is high in both foods. This is actually due to the different consistency of the two foods and the duration of time of staying in one's mouth for one type of food over the other.
Is the electric toothbrush recommended in early childhood?
The electric toothbrush with the round brushing head produce a correct brushing of the dental surfaces.
The limitation of the electric toothbrush, when used by younger children, is represented by making the child a passive subject.
The little one must keep the toothbrush firmly on the teeth as long as necessary and this can easily bore the child. Also, it seems appropriate to stimulate children to acquire appropriate hand gestures exactly as they are taught to do the calculations in their mind before using the calculator.
Until when should parents brush their children’s teeth?
Acquiring the appropriate hand gestures (and patience) in cleaning teeth is not unlike the acquisition of any other type of hand gestures.
If you expect a three-year-old child to handle a shape sorting cube toy and to build simple things you cannot expect them to handle a toothbrush perfectly.
For this reason, parents should first assist the children and therefore watch their kids brush their teeth at least up to 8-9 years of age.
