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Delta Dental brushing and flossing

Brushing and flossing

Brushing and flossing are important parts of your kids' daily routine. Use these tips to help them build good habits.

How to brush

  1. Put the head of the toothbrush against your gumline and the tips of the bristles at a 45-degree angle to the gumline. (You may need to ask your parent for help with this.)
  2. Move the toothbrush back and forth, going in a circle and scrubbing several times in each spot.
  3. Keep the bristles angled against the gumline while you brush both the inner and outer surfaces of each tooth.
  4. Brush the chewing surfaces straight on.
  5. Clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth by tilting the brush upright and making several up-and-down strokes with the front of the brush.
  6. Finish by brushing your tongue, which helps remove germs from your mouth.
  7. Rinse with water or a fluoride mouthwash to remove loosened plaque.

  • Brush your teeth gently. Don't squash the bristles — that means you're brushing too hard.
  • Replace your toothbrush every two to three months, or as soon as the bristles are worn or bent. A worn-out toothbrush does not clean your teeth properly and can hurt your gums. You should also replace your toothbrush after you've had a cold.
  • Be sure you are reaching every tooth. The toothbrush can only clean one or two teeth at a time, so move it around a lot.
  • Try not to use a toothbrush with hard bristles. That can hurt your gums. Use a toothbrush with soft, rounded bristles.

  • By the time you're eight, you should be able to floss your own teeth. Try using a loop of floss. Tie the ends of a 10-inch piece of floss, forming a circle. Hold the floss tightly between the thumbs and forefingers.
  • Floss your teeth the same way each time, so that you don't miss any teeth.
  • Floss gently so you don't hurt your gums.