While taking care of the oral
health of your kid, it is very much essential to select a suitable toothbrush
that gives an all-round efficiency. But unfortunately, toothbrushes are not
given much thought it deserves and the most attractive ones are usually picked
up from the stores. To make things
worse, kids always opt for the toothbrushes that have a picture of their favorite
superhero or cartoon character. It is very much vital to choose the right one
for your kid, considering the fact that every toothbrush has their own set of
pros and cons, says a leading pediatric dentist, Pune. So how to
understand what goes into the selection of a best brush for your kid? Just
glance below for few smart tips that can help you make a wise choice:
·
Stamp of approval: Make sure the brush you have
selected for your kid has the seal of approval from Indian Dental Association
(IDA). It would definitely give you the confidence that all parts and materials
of the toothbrush are absolutely safe for use and complies with the following
requirements:
§ No
sharp ended bristles
§ Durability
of handle materials
§ Bristles
would remain intact on regular and normal use.
·
Bristles: Usually children toothbrushes are
available with several types of bristles, but always make it a point to select
only ultra soft or soft bristled brushes for your kid. Infact any other type of
brush may damage tender gum lines, enamel surface and even the tooth roots,
warns one of the most sought-after dentists in Pune.
·
Grip: It is very much crucial for your child’s small hands
to hold the brush properly and hence the design of toothbrush grip plays an
important role towards effective manipulation. And fortunately, nowadays most
of the brushes come with excellent grips with vibrant colors as an added bonus
to attract your child.
·
Head size and shape: Irrespective of the age
of your kid, it is very much important to choose a toothbrush that fits
comfortably in their mouths. Needless to say, brushes with rounded or blunt
edged head can be very much safe inside your child’s mouth.
·
Age: Yes, brushes for your kids are now available according
to their ages and it is not a fancy idea of a toothbrush manufacturer to
attract your attention. Based on the average size of mouth and teeth growth,
every manufacturer has standardized the size of head, grip shape and bristle
quality.
·
Make a combined choice: The child psychology
plays an important role in the selection of an apt toothbrush. After you have
narrowed down your choices based on the quality of bristles, grips, and even
the size, let your kid choose the one that entices. Allowing them to choose the
toothbrush as per their choice would go a long way in increasing their
curiosity and efforts in maintaining good oral health.
·
Consult your pediatric dentist:
Finally, it is definitely not a bad idea to consult with your pediatric dentist
for a good recommendation. Based on the oral health condition of the child,
your dentist would definitely prescribe the most apt one.
Apart from choosing the right
brush, it is also very vital to teach your kid the right methodology of
brushing and to adapt good practices while using toothbrush.
·
No toothbrush should be used for more than three months
or the bristles becoming frayed, whichever happens first.
·
Although it seems to be a good idea to keep the brush
covered inside a holder or a cabinet, the trapped moisture always encourages
the growth of microorganism on the surface. Avoid this practice as far as
possible.
·
Toothbrush should also be replaced in case your child
has fever due to flu or bacterial infection.
Well, imparting knowledge to your
kids on the importance of brushing is very much essential to develop good oral
habits. If you are child is having trouble in brushing, make it a point to
visit us at our dental hospital, Pune. With copious expertise in
offering pediatric dentistry, we can do wonders for child’s oral health.
