Why Should Kids Know How To Floss?

Everyone’s aware of the importance of regular teeth brushing, but not many of us know the same about flossing. Dentists consider flossing as important as brushing. It’s a practice that should be taught to kids as early as 2-3 years of age.

One of the major reasons for flossing daily is to get rid of the food debris that gets stuck between the teeth. This debris allows bacteria to grow that in turn leads to plaque formation. Brushing isn’t solely sufficient to remove these plaques and if these are not got rid of, they might lead to infection.  Plaques majorly contribute to gum diseases, bad breath, cavities, and other related dental problems.

Most kids tend to learn to floss their teeth individually by the age of 10 years if parents start teaching them at an early age.

A few things to keep in mind when teaching your kid how to floss include:

· Always use soft floss to avoid hurting your child’s gums.

· Let your kid have a floss of his/her own choice.

· Go for 18 inches of floss and wrap it around your middle finger. Using the index figure gently move the floss up and down making a C-shape.

· Make sure your kids do not jam the floss in their gums.

· Be an example to your kid to encourage them to make flossing a habit.

· Let your kids know the importance of regular flossing.

Let daily brushing, flossing, rinsing, and tongue cleaning be a must for maintaining good dental/oral hygiene for your kids as well as for you.