A doctor who monitors dental hygiene in children. Oral hygiene in children (professional approach). Black plaque in children

Teaching children the correct skills to care for the oral cavity is the most important stage of hygienic education. It must also be built taking into account the age characteristics and behavioral reactions of preschool children. When conducting more classes, you can also use:

Alternation of choral and individual responses;

Various other play moments and other situations (the child learns on his own and he teaches his favorite toy).

The principle of clarity also plays a great role in teaching. Therefore, when working with children, it is also necessary to use photographs, films, illustrations, and personal hygiene items. Showing these objects and acting with them allows him to reveal those other sides of them that still play an important role in the formation of hygienic behavior.

The effectiveness of hygienic education and training on the prevention of dental diseases will only be high if there is interaction between teachers and educators, medical workers, parents and children. Teachers and educators must still have an idea and know the methods of monitoring oral hygiene. Medical workers must also be trained in the methods of monitoring the quality of teeth cleaning and the use of various preventive means. Parents must also be able to control the duration, frequency and correctness of oral care for their children at home.

After the lessons, children should still be able to demonstrate the completion of the task for even better memorization.

The child needs:

1. Get sweets in small quantities (during meals, then rinse your mouth with water).

2. From 1.5-2 years old, rinse your mouth after eating.

3. From 2-2.5 years old, brush your teeth with a toothbrush (after breakfast, before bed).

At 4-5 years old, brush your teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste for at least 2-3 minutes, 200-250 strokes.

Until 4-5 years of age, teeth are brushed by parents. Starting from 5-6 years old, it is recommended to brush your teeth twice (in the morning after meals and in the evening before bed) with a soft toothbrush and any hygienic or fluoride-containing toothpaste. Children should be helped to brush their teeth until they are 6 years old. Preference is given to the gel form of toothpaste.

Under the influence of oral microbes when exposed to saliva, depending on the nature of the food, plaque forms on the teeth. Regular rinsing of the mouth after each meal and proper brushing of teeth completely removes plaque, which helps preserve tooth tissue and prevent caries.

One of the many responsibilities of kindergarten teachers is the hygienic education of children. Oral care is one of the elements of this education. Not all children aged 3–6 years old know how to brush their teeth. They must be taught this starting from the age of three in special classes.

Caring for a child’s oral cavity primarily involves parental vigilance. Despite the fact that at 3-4 years old children are quite capable of independently carrying out such a procedure as oral hygiene, it is advisable to do it under parental supervision. The result of this daily practice will be that by the age of 6, the child will be fully aware of the basic nuances of quality dental care, namely that they should be brushed twice a day and additionally, it is necessary to remove food debris to prevent the growth of bacteria.

During the preschool period, educational work still falls on the shoulders of educators, who will teach him, correct him or repeat, “how he should do it” (gymnastics, brush his teeth, rinse his mouth after eating, sit still table, etc.), using the power of collective example.

The main task during this period is the regular repetition of skills with the goal of developing a conditioned reflex. Teaching children individual oral hygiene should begin from 2 to 4 years of age. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the psychological characteristics of this group of children. A tendency to imitate and he has a tendency to engage in collective activities. At this age, he is highly suggestible to the child and still needs to be used. For children of this age group, it is recommended to conduct 7 more lessons for 15 - 20 minutes each.

1) lesson – examination of the oral cavity of children using a dental mirror and spatula.

2) Teaching the child how to rinse the mouth, followed by consolidation of skills and control of the skill after eating.

3) A story about the toothbrush, its purpose, a demonstration of its use on a model.

4) Teaching children how to use a toothbrush on jaw models and monitoring their skills.

5) Brushing your teeth without toothpaste, followed by monitoring your skills.

6) Brushing your teeth without toothpaste in the morning and evening under parental supervision.

7) Brushing teeth with toothpaste in the morning and evening under parental supervision.

With children 3-4 years old, it is recommended to build work using play elements, drawings, posters, toys, dolls, toothbrushes, pastes, etc. Such a game - the conversation should still be short and continue for several more lessons. Children, through fairy-tale characters, must also learn that they must also eat vegetables and fruits so that their teeth do not hurt; that after eating he needs to rinse his mouth more, eat less sweets and also brush his teeth. At the same time, it is recommended to show children in the form of a game how to properly brush their teeth. When teaching children the rules of brushing their teeth, it is important to repeat them, to consolidate the acquired skill, and to encourage those children who have yet successfully mastered it.

For children 4-7 years old, classes should also be carried out in a popular form, using characters from fairy tales, telling and showing how to properly brush their teeth. When teaching him to brush his teeth, he also needs to paint the front teeth with more dyes and show the stained plaque to the child in the mirror. He pays attention to the size of brushes for children, their condition and care for them. During the conversation, he finds out whether the child still has his own toothbrush, and explains which toothpaste is better.

To consolidate knowledge, you can use riddles about vegetables, fruits, etc. Also ask children questions.

When conducting conversations with older preschoolers, you can suggest ten rules for eating:

1. Take food a day, as often as your doctor tells you.

2. Gnaw and chew vegetables and fruits a lot, and do not give up hard foods.

3. Remove food from the spoon with your lips, do not put the spoon in your mouth.

4. Bite food only with your front teeth.

5. Grind food only with the far teeth.

6. Swallow food well chewed, without drinking.

7. Finish each meal with solid vegetables and fruits (carrots, apples, pears).

8. After each meal, rinse your mouth with water (use at least half a glass).

9. Don't eat sweets between meals.

10. Eat sweets only once a week (Sunday) in small quantities, then rinse your mouth with water.

You can also suggest ten rules for brushing teeth for older preschoolers:

1. The brush should have a curved and short handle, two or three teeth, with sparse bristles.

2. Before brushing your teeth, the brush should be washed with warm water.

3. You need to learn to brush your teeth without toothpaste, and once you have learned, use toothpaste as well;

4. It is better not to use tooth powder, as it can cause choking.

5. At the beginning, you need to brush the front surface of the teeth with movements in one direction: at the top - top-down, at the bottom - bottom-up, five times for two teeth, moving the brush from the far teeth on the left to the far teeth on the right. They brush at the top, then at the bottom, and then the back surface of the teeth in the same order.

6. Then you need to brush the chewing surface of first the upper, then the lower teeth - from the far teeth on the left to the far teeth on the right, five times in each direction. Then from front to back five times on two teeth.

7. At the end of brushing your teeth, you need to “sweep” everything that has been cleaned along the dentition, grabbing the gums, first at the top, then at the bottom, from left to right.

8. After brushing your teeth, the brush should be washed, soaped and placed with the head up in a glass;

9. You need to brush your teeth twice a day: after breakfast and before bed;

10. You should have a new toothbrush in spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Thus, teaching oral hygiene to preschool children is essential. The importance of proper hygienic education of children from an early age is enormous, since individual oral hygiene skills are among those that are best learned in early childhood. In the formation of children's habits of oral hygiene, a huge role is played, first of all, by family and social relations, the unity of views on this issue of medical workers, parents, and teachers.

Children's milk and permanent teeth erupt with incomplete mineralization. Mineralization (“enamel maturation”) is completed over the next few years due to the entry of calcium, phosphorus, fluorine, etc. ions into the enamel from saliva. Free access of saliva to all tooth surfaces plays an important role. If plaque constantly prevents saliva from contacting the tooth enamel, this leads to the formation of areas of incomplete (reduced) mineralization, in which caries can develop in the future.
It is known that zones of increased enamel solubility are located in areas least accessible to saliva (cervical areas, central and root points of contact surfaces). These areas are most often affected by caries and maintain inflammation of the adjacent gums.
It has been established that excessive intake of easily digestible carbohydrates leads to a significant accumulation of dental plaque, which plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of caries and periodontal diseases. This fact should be remembered when promoting rational nutrition for children. The child should receive sweets in small quantities according to his age. After taking them, you should rinse your mouth with water. Up to 2 years of age, children have a high natural cleanability of teeth due to abundant salivation. Self-cleaning then decreases due to the viscosity of saliva and the completion of the formation of the primary occlusion. Tight contacts between teeth necessitate artificial teeth cleaning with toothpaste.
Already in the preschool period, after teething, children need to be taught the skills of rational dental and oral care. This is especially important during the period of mixed dentition, when favorable conditions are created for increased formation of plaque and tartar. Therefore, teaching children how to care for their teeth is important and essential in the prevention of periodontal disease, since the formation of plaque is associated with the high incidence of gingivitis in children of this age.
From 1.5 to 2 years of age, a child should be taught to rinse his teeth with water after eating, and from 2 to 2.5 years of age to brush his teeth with a toothbrush. First, the child should be shown how to hold a toothbrush and what movements to perform. Then, taking the child’s hand, help him perform these movements.
After the child has consolidated the skills of daily brushing of teeth (after breakfast and before bed) and mastered the brushing technique (direction of movements, sequence of cleaning individual surfaces and groups of teeth, etc.), you can be allowed to use toothpastes or powder. A doctor should help you choose these medications. It must be remembered that if used improperly, tooth powder can enter the respiratory tract, so toothpastes should be recommended for young children.
A child over 4-5 years old should brush their teeth for at least 2-3 minutes, making 200-250 movements. If there is a tendency to form plaque, parents should monitor the maintenance of teeth at the required hygienic level. They remove plaque with cotton swabs, turundas, a moistened soda solution, and wipe their teeth after eating.
The degree of teeth cleansing must be monitored. During regular examinations of the child, the dentist determines the oral hygiene index (according to Fedorov-Volodkina and others) and recommends that parents carry out a similar determination (staining the teeth with iodine solution) 1-2 times a month.
Particular attention should be paid to children from 7-9 years of age during the period of mixed dentition, when oral hygiene conditions deteriorate somewhat. In the presence of dental anomalies, caries, and inflammatory periodontal diseases, individual training in oral hygiene is necessary, taking into account the peculiarities of the current situation, which contributes to excessive formation of plaque. The dentist should show the child the colored plaque and teach him how to clean hard-to-reach areas of the teeth.
Children undergoing orthodontic treatment are taught the rules of caring for orthodontic appliances: rinse them after eating with a stream of tap water; Clean with a toothbrush and paste or powder 1-2 times a day. When wearing fixed orthodontic appliances, it is advisable to prescribe dental elixirs with deodorizing and antimicrobial effects. During the period of orthodontic treatment, it is recommended to alternate toothpastes with anti-caries and anti-inflammatory properties.
Professional teeth cleaning is performed by the attending physician. It is necessary to remove dental plaque, supra- and subgingival dental deposits regularly 1-2 times a year, depending on the intensity of tartar formation. This cleaning precedes all other medical procedures.
Oral hygiene training. The state of oral hygiene in the population is closely related to hygienic education, primarily the education of children. When performing hygienic education tasks, a dentist must remember the following basic principles.

1. Effective oral hygiene can only be achieved if you brush your teeth regularly, choose the right brush, have a sufficient number of movements and position of the brush, and spend time cleaning the tooth surface.
2. Teaching the skills and rules of oral care is the responsibility of medical personnel.
3. The level of oral hygiene and compliance with the rules of brushing teeth should be periodically monitored by medical personnel.

It is necessary to teach children in a playful way, kindly, gradually. The main motive for learning is “let’s get the worms out of the way.” Children should be taught how to brush their teeth in stages.
First, you need to teach your child to hold a brush in his hand and master vertical movements with large toys. They begin to brush their teeth from the upper jaw, then clean the vestibular surfaces of the front teeth with movements from the gums to the edges of the teeth.
Only after the child has mastered this stage do they move on to the next one: cleaning the vestibular surface Fig. 387. Model of the lower jaw, groups of chewing teeth on the left, divided into segments then on the right. Next stage -
training in cleaning the occlusal surface of teeth using reciprocating and circular movements. Lastly, the palatal and lingual surfaces of the teeth are cleaned with sweeping movements. You should not force the education of young children, as this will result in a loss of quality.
By the age of three, a child needs to instill the desire and develop the ability to brush his teeth every day: in the morning before breakfast, in the evening after dinner before going to bed. It is advisable to teach your child to brush his teeth and rinse his mouth after every meal.
In addition, the child should have a fixed sequence of manipulations: wash my hands with soap, rinse my mouth with water, rinse my toothbrush, squeeze toothpaste onto the brush, brush my teeth from all sides (10 movements in each area), rinse my mouth, wash my brush, I lather it up and put it, bristles up, in a glass.
Children 4-5 years old and older should develop oral care skills, correct technique, and good quality. From this age onwards, supervised teeth brushing should be carried out. It consists of determining hygiene indices before and after brushing teeth (quality), recording the time spent on brushing, and observing movements while brushing teeth (technique).
Unorganized children (not covered by dental examination in organized groups) are taught oral hygiene skills by parents or medical staff of the oral hygiene room in a dental clinic (children's clinic). The dentist provides them with an appropriate reminder in the children's consultation, and before getting an appointment with the dentist (if there is no toothache), the child must visit the hygiene room.

Rice. 388. Position and movements of the toothbrush when brushing teeth

Children attending preschool institutions should be taught oral care by a teacher. Rinsing your mouth after eating and brushing your teeth after breakfast or lunch are recognized as a routine aspect of a preschool institution; children must perform them daily under the guidance of teachers. Once a month, the teacher conducts supervised teeth cleaning in the group in the form of a competition “The cleanest teeth”, “Who brushes their teeth best?” and so on. To consolidate skills, hygiene lessons are held annually in groups, reminding children of the rules of brushing their teeth.
The dentist trains staff in this work and controls their work; In the allotted time for oral sanitation, he determines the hygiene index in children, and, if necessary, conducts individual training and demonstration oral hygiene lessons (health lessons in groups, etc.). The dentist helps teachers professionally design oral hygiene corners in each group, and an information sheet for parents.
In schools, children are taught in special hygiene lessons included in the general schedule: for children in grades 1 - 3 hours per school year, grades 2-3 - 2 hours, grades 4-10 - 1 hour. First they tell , better in class, about why, how and with what means you need to care for your oral cavity, what foods are useful to eat to keep your teeth strong and beautiful. Standard tooth brushing techniques must be demonstrated.
To teach oral hygiene, it is convenient to use a model of the lower or upper jaw, divided into segments (Fig. 387). The model demonstrates methods of cleaning various groups of teeth using scraping, reciprocating, sweeping, and circular movements (Fig. 388).
It is more convenient to teach children in a hygiene and prevention room (class), which is a room (or part of it) equipped with sinks, mirrors, and a set of individual care and control products (Fig. 389). The room should have 5-10 (in the hygiene corner - 1-2) sinks

Rice. 389. Hygiene class:
1- cabinets or shelves for storing hygiene products; 2 - sanitary educational stands; 3 - shells; 4 - mirrors; 5 - tables and desks; 6 - screen

with mirrors, cabinets for storing individual items and hygiene products. Brushes are stored in labeled racks. You need watches (for example, sand watches), toothpastes and other products.
The office should have an overhead projector (projector), screen, blackout curtains, stands, tables, stained glass windows, etc. If the size of the room allows, tables for studying should be installed in it.
In the method of teaching oral hygiene, it is necessary to pay attention to monitoring the quality of teeth brushing and correcting individual skills. Taking into account age-related psychological characteristics, 7-10 primary or 4-5 secondary school students are simultaneously invited to the procedure. After supervised brushing, you should definitely evaluate the quality of cleaning and give advice and comments. During preventive examinations and planned sanitation of the oral cavity, the dentist determines the hygienic index and pays special attention to children with caries; if necessary, prescribes an individual set of hygiene procedures.
In the implementation of hygienic education of students, the dentist is assisted by primary school teachers, a biology teacher, the head of the educational department, a nurse and school teacher, and a dental office nurse.
Training in brushing the teeth of children of older age groups is carried out in the hygiene room in clinics, educational institutions, and in the process of treating patients upon referral.

Teeth are the first thing people pay attention to when communicating.

The lion's share of all cases of dental diseases in the oral cavity depends on non-compliance with hygiene requirements from an early age.

What should adults do as preventive measures for children?

Why is it important to maintain oral hygiene from early childhood?

The enamel mineralizes during the first few months after. Weak mineralization makes it vulnerable to pathogenic bacteria. Children can suffer not only from, but also from foci of infection in the periodontal area.

The destruction of mature enamel occurs due to the leaching of calcium. Due to endocrine and hormonal changes in the child’s body, during the process of growth, it is actively formed, turning into.

What does a baby’s oral health depend on?

A baby’s dental health is established long before he is born. The genetic heritage of an individual is paramount, but errors in the use of nutrients by the expectant mother can cause the manifestation of pathologies.

Even during the mother's pregnancy, the fetus should receive calcium in sufficient quantities. The chemical element takes part in the formation of teeth. Their formation begins at the 5th week of intrauterine development. Until the 12th, a critical phase occurs. During this period and throughout pregnancy, maternal nutrition is important.

The diet of a pregnant woman and growing child should include foods rich in:

• vitamins;
• microelements;
• protein.

How to choose the right hygiene products?

The use of personal oral hygiene products (POH) for children should be correct, targeted and regular. - a simple event that helps:

• cope with pathogenic microflora;
• eliminate the existing one;
• create the necessary concentration of fluoride in saliva.

Every kid knows that they need to brush their teeth. Oral hygiene in children differs from that in adults. Devices for high-quality cleaning of the oral cavity:

• dental threads (), take, flossettes;

The baby's first brush, which adults will help him use, should be with a long handle, type 2 hardness. At its rounded and well-polished end, the bristles should be arranged in 2 rows. When the child takes the brush himself, its handle should be voluminous, comfortable to grasp and hold, without sharp corners.

Adults wipe the baby's mouth with a weak solution of baking soda, wearing a special fingertip or armed with a sterile napkin. Using these devices from the refrigerator (cool temperature) makes it easier for your gums during.

The procedure is performed every day for one minute. If necessary, examination and consultation with a pediatrician.

The program for preserving children's teeth includes the following main points:

• Using only fluoride toothpastes:
• education ;
• regular professional examination (twice a year).

In some countries, oral health is at the core of national policy. There is experience in creating a whole generation of children who do not have caries.

One person said: if you sow a habit, you will reap character and destiny. One of the most useful habits that should be instilled starting from early childhood, and which undoubtedly has an impact on a person’s entire life, is proper dental and oral care. After all, only these skills can provide a child with healthy, beautiful and strong teeth, saving him from many medical and social problems.

The very beginning

You need to start taking care of the condition of children’s teeth already at the stage of pregnancy. The quality of the tissues from which teeth are formed, and therefore the health and appearance of the teeth, directly depend on how fully the mother supplied her baby with vitamins, minerals (fluorine, phosphorus, calcium), proteins and other necessary substances during the period of intrauterine development. A balanced diet during pregnancy eliminates up to 50% of all possible dental problems that a child may have in the first years of life. Therefore, the diet of the expectant mother should be enriched with substances necessary for the baby through fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat products. Additional benefits come from taking special multivitamins for pregnant women.

Another important factor influencing the condition of the baby’s dental tissues is the use of medications by a pregnant woman: some medications have a direct damaging effect on the tooth buds, and therefore you should refrain from taking these medications during pregnancy. Doctors know which drugs cause this side effect and do not prescribe them to pregnant women. Therefore, before starting to take any medication, a pregnant woman should always consult with her doctor.

From birth to 1 year

After the birth of a child, oral care becomes even more specific. Starting from 3 months and until the eruption of the first 7-8 milk teeth (usually a one-year-old baby has this number of teeth), dental hygiene procedures should consist of regular (after each meal, after about 30 minutes) cleaning of the gums, tongue and teeth from plaque that has formed. . This can be done using a piece of gauze soaked in boiled water and wrapped around the mother’s finger, or using a special finger toothbrush (a silicone product with soft protrusions that safely cleans the oral cavity). It is unnecessary to use toothpaste at this age, as it will simply be eaten by the child, which can be dangerous.

There are also special children's brushes from the Pierrot brand, which can be used by babies from 6 months - the "Children's" toothbrush. Its extra-soft bristles with rounded ends gently and gently clean baby's baby teeth, and the ergonomic handle fits perfectly into baby's hands.

The nature of nutrition has a significant impact on the condition of teeth in a child under 1 year of age. The child's body's need for vitamins and minerals in the first 6 months is perfectly covered by breast milk - the optimal food product for children of this age. Children who receive breast milk during the first six months have fewer dental problems throughout their lives. After 6 months, it is necessary to pay special attention to the process of introducing complementary foods, controlling the nature, quality and quantity of food, and the degree of its usefulness for the baby’s body. Adults need to learn to restrain the impulse to treat their child to something sweet and tasty - sweets and confectionery products are completely devoid of substances necessary for a child of this age and, in addition, have a direct damaging effect on the enamel of baby teeth.

From 1 year to 6-7 years

Once a child is one year old and has 7-8 baby teeth in his mouth, oral care moves to the next level. The most important event of this period is the purchase of the first toothbrush and the baby getting used to it. A child's first toothbrush must meet several requirements. First of all, it must be a brush specially created by the manufacturer to care for the baby teeth of a child over 1 year of age (all toothbrushes produced by reputable companies have the appropriate markings).

Children's brushes always have a small head, the length of which does not exceed the width of 2-2.5 baby teeth. The bristles on a child's brush should only be synthetic, and very soft, so that in the process of brushing the baby's teeth he does not damage his gum mucosa. For example, Spanish TM Pierrot brushes use very soft bristles with rounded (not cut) tips, which are made from a special material TYNEX.

A child's toothbrush should be replaced at least once every 1.5-2 months, and more often if necessary. As the child grows, the size and configuration of the toothbrush should change to accommodate the child's changing anatomy and physiology. Teeth brushing should be done twice daily under the supervision and active participation of a parent.

Up to 1.5-2 years of age, using toothpaste (even specially created for children) is not recommended, since the child does not yet know how to rinse his mouth. After the child masters the rinsing process (this usually happens at the age of 2-2.5 years), you can add a special children's toothpaste to the dental care process. It is not recommended to use adult toothpaste, since it contains a large amount of fluoride and a number of components (abrasive particles, bleaching agents, flavoring additives) that may be harmful to a child, especially considering that a child under 6 years of age eats approximately 30-40% of toothpaste used. In addition, adult toothpaste, being more aggressive than children's, can damage the developing enamel of children's teeth.

For children, it is better to use a children's paste with an improved taste (many mint additives are too aggressive). For example, Pierrot paste “PIVI with strawberry flavor Ca+F”, additional content of fluoride and calcium. These additives help counteract superficial caries, which often begins to develop on the front surface of baby teeth as early as 2 years of age.

It is necessary to teach a child how to brush their teeth independently at the age of 2-3 years, using game techniques that make it easier to understand and remember the sequence of actions when performing hygiene procedures.

For those kids who completely refuse to learn how to brush their teeth, the Pierrot brand offers “Vampire” brushes that glow in the dark. Therefore, the process of brushing your teeth can be turned into a fun game.

Toothpaste, in the amount indicated on the tube, should be applied to the toothbrush by an adult family member - you should not trust this important task to a preschooler. It is not recommended for young children to brush their teeth with electric toothbrushes - these devices can be used at a more conscious age, after a solid acquisition of oral care skills and only after a complete change of all baby teeth.

In general, children under 6 years of age are not recommended to use mouthwash (dental rinse). If necessary, preschoolers can use rinses (under adult supervision!) that do not contain fluoride and alcohol, which have only a deodorizing effect, using no more than 5 ml of solution per use. For example, Pierrot children's mouthwash "PIVI".

As an alternative to such two-step oral care, you can use a product developed on the “2 in one” principle, for example Pierrot Gel “PIVI 2in1” (at the same time preserving the properties of toothpaste and rinse aid). It also contains fluorine and calcium in quantities optimal for children, and tastes good.

It should be noted that all products of this brand have a quality certificate from the Society of Hygienists of Spain, which confirms a very high level of product quality.

To teach a child of preschool and primary school age to brush their teeth correctly, special tablets, chewing gum and solutions have been developed that, when they enter the oral cavity, stain the remaining plaque that was not removed during brushing.

The duration of brushing teeth in childhood should be at least 3 minutes - some parents, to learn this skill, buy special chronometers (for example, an hourglass), which help the baby navigate time.

An absolutely essential component of dental care is regular visits to the dentist, because baby teeth can also get sick. In addition to examining and performing therapeutic and preventive procedures, the pediatric dentist will certainly give advice on the rules of oral care, drawing the attention of parents to points that are important specifically for their child.

In the preschool period, the nature of the food consumed becomes especially important. Parents need to not only establish proper nutrition at home, but also monitor what their child “snacks” between meals. Adults should understand that all kinds of snacks, chips and lollipops, so loved by children and their grandmothers, are the most faithful accomplices of caries, ensuring undesirably frequent meetings with the dentist. The same goes for sweet carbonated drinks. And vice versa - milk, dairy products, as well as solid fruits and vegetables (strengthening the ligaments of the teeth) are our friends and helpers in the noble cause of strengthening the health (including dental health) of our children.

Children who have learned to rinse their mouths on their own must be taught the need to perform this procedure after every meal (including after “snacks”). Rinse your mouth with boiled warm water, vigorously shaking the water in your mouth for 1 minute.

Children over 7 years old and teenagers

At this age, it is necessary to strengthen and improve children’s ability to care for their teeth and oral cavity. Even after the child has mastered all the necessary steps, parents should personally supervise the teeth brushing process at least 1-2 times a week. Studies have shown that this tactic, applied to children and adolescents, reduces the incidence of caries by half.

A seven-year-old child can brush their teeth with adult toothpaste, which is applied to the brush in a drop no larger than the size of a pea. Over time, the amount of paste increases, reaching a full adult dose in adolescence (the paste covers the entire surface of the bristles).

For those children who have problems with bite, often accompanied by gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), it is better to use propolis-based toothpaste, for example Pierrot TM Propolis toothpaste. If beekeeping products seem unpleasant to your student, invite him to try TM Pierrot green tea toothpaste, containing green tea, papaya, and tea tree oil. These components will help reduce the risk of developing gum disease. Another alternative is Pierrot toothpaste with Aloe Vera, containing healing aloe extract. This toothpaste is an excellent option for children and adolescents with gingivitis and frequent stomatitis.

A toothbrush for a schoolchild should be selected according to age; the bristles should be either soft or medium soft.

The shape of the working surface of the brushes can be different. The Pierrot brand for teenagers (and their parents) offers toothbrushes with a working surface of a wide variety of configurations. For example, a brush with inclined bristles and an active tip, for adequate cleaning of the outer teeth of the dentition, a brush with cross bristles, which allow better cleaning of the interdental spaces, brushes with a flexible head. In short, you can choose the most optimal option.

At the age of 12, the last baby teeth fall out, after which the child can switch to using adult toothbrushes. Then you can allow your son or daughter to use an electric toothbrush, carefully monitoring, at first, the quality of hygiene procedures.

The use of rinses (elixirs) to maintain fresh breath is permitted, provided that it is an elixir specially created for children and adolescents. For teenagers, elixirs that do not contain alcohol are perfect: Anti-plaque rinse TM Pierrot, which effectively helps eliminate soft plaque and Pierrot Sensitive - a rinse for sensitive teeth. The amount of liquid used at a time should not exceed 5-10 ml.

Recommendations on visiting the dentist and eating habits remain relevant at this age. Parents' attention should be drawn to bad breath, which persists despite the absence of caries and high-quality dental care. Bad breath in children is often caused by dental plaque, which cannot always be removed with a toothbrush; in this situation, qualified dental care is required. Parents of teenagers need to pay special attention to bad habits, especially smoking. It is necessary to explain to the child that nicotine, tobacco tar and other substances contained in tobacco smoke have an extremely detrimental effect on all organs of the human body, including teeth, and that a smoker cannot count on a snow-white smile and fresh breath.

Chewing gum can be used as an additional means of protecting teeth from caries. It can be used in situations where a toothbrush, toothpaste or mouthwash is out of reach. According to modern dentists, the duration of chewing should not exceed 15 minutes - that is, after the taste disappears, the chewing gum should be disposed of.

Finally.

To make your choice easier, try to pay attention to the following points:

1. Toothpaste and brush should be appropriate for the age category your child falls into.
2. The bristles on the brush should be synthetic and soft.
3. The handle of the toothbrush should be comfortable for use by a child of a certain age (this is especially true for children under 7 years old).

You should also pay attention to the presence of a product quality certificate from the manufacturer, and the compliance of the products with European quality standards ISO 9001Quality Certificate.

A few minutes spent daily on oral care increases our self-esteem, improves our health and gives the bonus of a snow-white smile. By teaching your child how to properly brush their teeth as a child, you will prevent the development of gum disease and premature tooth loss, thereby providing him with an invaluable service for which he will be grateful to you all his life. Take care of your health!

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Oral hygiene for children aged 6 to 12 months

The adult performing this procedure must perform it quickly, effectively and safely, which requires positioning the child so that he can clearly see the teeth being cleaned and be able to restrain the child's movements. This procedure can be carried out by one or two adults. In the first case, the child should be placed on his knees and his arm bent at the elbow - as is done when breastfeeding a child.

In the second case, adults sit facing each other, the child is placed on closed knees; Teeth cleaning is carried out by the one who is at 12 o’clock in relation to the child, while the other holds the child’s arms and legs, calms him down with stroking movements, gentle speech, etc. The incisors are wiped with damp gauze, directing movements from the gums to the cutting edge of the incisors. Wiping is carried out 1-2 times a day.

As the child adapts to the procedures in his oral cavity, they begin to use a brush: preferably a brush with a small head, soft bristles, which corresponds to the characteristics of the child’s oral cavity, and a long handle that is comfortable to hold in the hand of an adult. The brush is moistened, but the paste, as a rule, is not used: firstly, the paste impairs the ability to visually control movements in the oral cavity, secondly, the volume of foaming paste growing in the mouth can frighten the child, thirdly, the paste will inevitably be swallowed by the child . The incisors are cleaned with short vertical movements from the gums to the cutting edge.

Ideally, parents should be taught these methods of caring for the child’s oral cavity by the dentist or dental staff in advance - during conversations between the obstetrician and dentist with pregnant women, the pediatrician and his visiting nurse immediately after the birth of the child, or, as a last resort, during the first visit of members of the enlarged family to the dentist. It is important to teach the family how to control the complete removal of plaque from the child’s teeth.

Oral hygiene for children from 1 to 3 years old

In some cases, when parents are forced to brush their teeth at a high pace (the child gets tired quickly, does not like the procedure, etc.), electric rotary brushes are more beneficial than manual ones. Hygienic paste in a dose of “the size of a child’s little finger” or “the size of a pea” is used when the parents’ hands make movements with the brush automatically, and full visual control is not required. In cases of high risk of early childhood caries, the dentist may recommend the use of fluoride-containing children's pastes, which in this case will play the role of both local and systemic fluoride.

It is preferable to use pastes that do not contain surfactants that can damage the health of the gastric mucosa. It is important to teach your child to control swallowing while brushing his teeth, to teach him to spit out oral fluid after brushing his teeth, and to rinse his mouth.

When carrying out hygienic education of children, one should have a good understanding of their level of development and their inherent impulsiveness, impressionability, suggestibility, and tendency to imitate. Having interested the child by personal example, parents suggest that he brush his teeth himself with a children's brush. Parents help the child master the elements of the KAI method by taking the child's hand in theirs. Training should be carried out through play lasting no more than 3-5 minutes, since at this age children get tired quickly.

It should be remembered that children aged 1-3 years are not able to fully clean their teeth, so caring for the child’s oral cavity is the responsibility of the parents.

Oral hygiene for children aged 4-6 years

If the risk of caries is high, the use of fluoride-containing toothpastes for children is recommended, but parents are warned to follow safety precautions:
. such pastes can be regularly used by children who can control swallowing;
. a minimum amount of paste is applied to the brush (a pea or less);
. The cleaning process is carried out with the participation of parents.

The child continues to learn the KAI method, the parents control the quality of brushing (parents need to be taught to independently identify dental plaque using staining!) and, since in the vast majority of cases preschoolers cannot achieve the desired level of hygiene, adults complete the process of brushing the child’s teeth with their own hands.

In children aged 5-6 years, the first permanent molars erupt, which require increased attention: on the one hand, on erupting teeth the rate of plaque formation is maximum (teeth do not participate in occlusion), and on the other hand, the intensity of cheek movements is limited by the presence of gums and a closely located branch of the lower jaw. Therefore, parents are recommended to start brushing their child’s teeth with these, the most problematic teeth, using a manual brush (the brush head is located across the area of ​​the dental arch that bears the permanent molar!) or an electric rotary brush. Cleaning is completed using the elements of the standard method.

At this age, for adequate prevention of caries of primary teeth (in particular, caries of the proximal surfaces of temporary molars), flossing is necessary. The procedure is performed by the hands of adults, so it is more convenient to use flossettes. In order to have good control over the movement of the thread, the adult is positioned in relation to the child “at 12 o’clock”, placing his head on his lap. To increase preventive effectiveness, preventive pastes can be applied to the threads.

Oral hygiene for children of primary school age (7-10 years old)

Flossing is a necessary element of hygienic oral care for a child. Younger schoolchildren can learn how to perform frontal flossing, but the main part of the procedure must be performed by their parents.

Oral hygiene for adolescents 10-14 years old

Particular attention should be paid to adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment, since the presence of removable, and especially non-removable, appliances in the oral cavity makes dental care difficult. Parents are responsible for obtaining specific instructions from the dentist, who will teach them how to use tiered and/or low-tuft brushes, brushes, floss, or strips to remove plaque from all surfaces of the teeth.

Oral hygiene of young people 15-18 years old

Oral hygiene for adults

Oral hygiene for older people

T.V. Popruzhenko, T.N. Terekhova