Teaching Children How to brush teeth

  • Proper tooth brushing technique. Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums
  • Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

  • Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes

  • Use the “toe” of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke
  • Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath. To see how to brush please click the on link below.

For more information on how to brush, download the patient education sheet from the American Dental Association.

Or check out the children’s video “Brushing Magic” featuring  Dudley the Dinosaur  and his friend Dee Dee.

Teaching Children how to floss Teeth

  • Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.
  • Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums
  • When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.
  • Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums
  • Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth

  • Don’t forget the back side of your last tooth.

For more information on how to Floss. Download an illustration from the ADA on how to floss.