As your child grows, their teeth move closer together. Between the ages of 2 and 6, flossing should become an important part of their daily dental hygiene routine to keep their teeth and gums healthy. However, young kids are still developing the dexterity for this task and will need some assistance.

How to Teach Your Child About Flossing

1. Teach the Concept

The first step involves teaching them the idea behind flossing. You can illustrate this with a little craft project. Build a mouth and use egg cartons as the teeth. Then, you can put play dough between each “tooth” to mimic lodged food particles. Now, hand your child some dental floss and show them how to use it to remove the play dough. You want to show them how much pressure to apply because you don’t want them to be too rough and hurt their gums when they floss. 

2. Floss Their Teeth

Now that they understand what you’re doing, it’s time for you to floss your child’s teeth. Show them how much you need (12 to 18 inches) and demonstrate how it should be moved up and down the side of each tooth to remove food particles. You can also have your child observe you flossing your own teeth.

3. Let Them Floss

After your child understands the idea, let them give it a try. Using it can be difficult for their hands, but you can make it easier by giving them floss picks. These holders already have small bands of string attached, which eliminates the need for wrapping anything around your fingers. Until your child gets better at dental hygiene, you should still be brushing and flossing their teeth after they are done. By age 10, your child is probably capable of doing a good job flossing around their own teeth.

Pediatric Dental Group is ready to help your child develop good dental hygiene habits, including flossing. You can make an appointment for a teeth cleaning at their Honolulu, HI, office by calling (808) 593-8828. Your children’s dentist will offer additional flossing tips and answer any questions you might have about caring for your child’s teeth. Visit their website for more information about this dental office.