Getting children to brush properly can be like pulling teeth

When it comes to children, ensuring proper oral health care doesn't have to be a daunting task. Although in a recent survey of 2,000 adults, 39 percent said they find it challenging to engage their children in brushing their teeth, it can and should be done.

While it might seem like a harmless problem, children miss more than 50 million hours of school each year due to dentalrelated illness. According to Fern Ingber, president and CEO of the National Children's Oral Health Foundation, "Millions of children have dental problems so severe that it impacts their ability to eat, sleep and learn."

Fortunately, associations like the foundation and the American Dental Association are committed to educating parents and children alike on dental protection and cavity prevention. "The problem is so widespread that the U.S. Surgeon General has named dental disease a 'silent epidemic,' " Ingber said.

Pediatric dentists recommend starting a regimen as soon as a child's teeth first emerge. By using a washcloth and water to gently clean teeth, parents can instill a daily habit early on.

At about age 2, brush a child's teeth with a small brush and peasized amount of fluoride toothpaste for two minutes, both day and night. By the time the child is able to brush on his or her own around age 6, he or she will have a familiar schedule to follow. Often, however, children find these routines to be monotonous, which is why it's no surprise that of parents with children between 6 and 12, 68 percent said they believe their kids would brush more frequently if it were more enjoyable.

A way to make this experience more stimulating is to have an easy method for a child to follow, for instance, a three-step routine that incorporates a pre-brush rinse, brushing and flossing and an afterbrush rinse. Products such as a plaque detector make the experience even more fun: With a few swishes of the pre-brush rinse, a child can see plaque buildup turn blue, indicating the areas to brush.

Beyond a daily regimen, dentists emphasize the importance of an oral assessment between ages 1 and 2, and encourage screenings and cleanings every six months to keep decay away.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.