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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Oral Hygiene and Prevention
When Should My Child Start Using Dental Floss?
As soon as you notice that your baby's front teeth have come in and that there are no gaps between them, you should start to floss in between these teeth to prevent cavities from forming on the sides of your toddler's new teeth. In other words as early as 15 months when your child's teeth come into contact with one another or appear crowded, you should start flossing as a regular part of your child's dental care. Bushing only removes the plaque on the tops and sides of your child's teeth, not between his/her teeth. The teeth that need flossing the most are the back molars.
Cavities, such as those seen in this diagram, form in between teeth, and are called "interproximal cavities." When the cavities are still small, the only way to detect them are with dental x-rays. By the time these cavities are visible to the naked eye in your child's mouth; the cavities are large, and treatment may require a baby root canal and/or stainless steel crown.
There are many dental aids available to use for flossing your child's teeth. Besides the regular floss, there are a variety of manual and electric flossers designed to make flossing easier and fun. There is no one perfect flosser, just find one that works best for you and your child. Make flossing fun and part of your daily family routine every night!
The only truly effective floss or flosser
is the one that makes it into your child's mouth
Disclaimer
Doctor Haeberlein, Dr. Wang and the other Doctors in the Discovery Dental Group make no warranties, expressed or implied, as to any results to be obtained from use of the information "What should I do in a Dental Emergency." We cannot diagnose or treat patients over the Internet. Information on this site is for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal, medical, and/or dental attention or diagnosis. Without all available information about a patient, it is impossible to make a diagnosis. Help and answers are in the form of general ideas. Only you, your dentist, and other necessary and qualified health care providers can make an appropriate treatment decision in an emergency or for everyday care and dental treatment.
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