What does it mean to “mindfully” brush your own and your children’s teeth?

What does it mean to “mindfully” brush your own and your children’s teeth?

It simply means paying attention to what you are doing, how you are doing it, and what you are achieving by doing it well.

The mouth is a complicated place with so many teeth (20 for young children – 32 for a full complement) and so many more tooth surfaces (88 for young children, 148 for a full set). The goal of twice daily brushing is to clean ALL those places while bathing the teeth in fluoride from your toothpaste.

Mindful toothbrushing means cleaning the mouth thoroughly, twice daily, with a fluoride toothpaste (in amounts appropriate for you child’s age). MySmileBuddy features some videos demonstrating how to clean all the teeth in a mindful way.

What are some mindful toothbrush techniques for younger and older children?

Here are some tailored techniques for each age group:

For infants

As soon as the first tooth appears, that’s time to start oral cleaning. You can use a washcloth or soft material to wipe the teeth and introduce your child to the routine and feeling of oral hygiene.

For Toddlers and preschoolers (Ages 2-6)

1. Use a Soft Toothbrush with Child-Friendly Fluoridated Toothpaste:

· Choose a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head for gentle brushing.

· Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste for children over 3; for younger ones, use a rice grain-sized amount.

2. Make Brushing a Game:

· Use songs, counting, or a timer to make sure they brush for the recommended two minutes.

· Create a fun story where their toothbrush is a superhero fighting "sugar bugs."

3. Guide Their Hand or Brush for Them:

· Younger children may need help brushing. Gently guide their hand or brush for them in circular motions.

· Emphasize brushing every tooth, the gum line, and the back of the mouth.

4. Aim the brush to ALL tooth surfaces:

· Introduce the concept of holding the toothbrush toward the gums.

5. Focus on Mindful Breathing:

· Encourage deep breaths before brushing to relax them and help them focus on the task at hand.

For Older Children (Ages 7-12)

6. Reinforce Proper Brushing Technique:

7. Teach your child to gently brush all the tooth surfaces in order with 5 “sweeps”: (1) all the lower teeth on the cheek and tongue side; (2) all the lower teeth on the tongue side; (3) all the upper teeth on the cheek and lip side; (4) all the upper teeth on the tongue side; and – last but not least – on the biting surfaces of all the back teeth. Teach Mindfulness and Focus:

· Encourage your child to focus on what they are doing so they feel the brush reach all the tooth surfaces.

· Go slow! Suggest they think of brushing as a way to "massage" their gums and clean each tooth, so they don’t rush through it.

8. Introduce Flossing:

· Wherever two teeth touch and the toothbrush can’t reach between the teeth, that’s where floss is needed. Flossing takes some dexterity so help your child until they master their own technique.

9. Make It Personal:

· Let them choose their toothbrush and toothpaste flavors to make the process more engaging.

· Consider using a reward system to track their progress, such as a sticker chart for consistent brushing.