Wilson & Hockenberry: Wong’s Clinical Manual of Pediatric Nursing, 8th Edition

Patient Teaching Guide

This section may be photocopied and distributed to families.

Spanish translation of this handout available at http://evolve.elsevier.com/Wong/clinical.

Source: Wilson D, Hockenberry MJ: Evolve resources for Wong’s clinical manual of pediatric nursing, ed 8. Copyright © 2012, Mosby, St Louis.

Caring for Your Child’s Teeth

Begin regular visits to the dentist soon after the first teeth erupt, usually around 1 year of age and no later than 15 months.*

Plan the first examination to be a “friendly visit”—meeting the dentist, seeing the room and equipment, and sitting in the chair.

Brushing and Flossing

Begin cleaning the teeth as soon as the first tooth erupts. This is done by wiping it with a cloth.

Begin regular brushing and flossing (twice daily) soon after several baby teeth have erupted. Make mouth care pleasant by talking or singing to the child.

Use a small toothbrush with soft, rounded, multitufted nylon bristles that are short and even. Change the toothbrush often, as soon as the bristles are bent or frayed.

For young children, place the tips of the bristles firmly at a 45-degree angle against the teeth and gums and move them back and forth in a vibratory motion. Do not move the ends of the bristles forcefully back and forth because this can damage the gums and enamel.

For children whose permanent teeth have erupted, place the sides of the bristles firmly against the gums and brush the gums and teeth in the direction the teeth grow, using a rolling action.

Clean all surfaces of the teeth in this manner, except the inner surfaces of the front teeth. To clean these areas, place the toothbrush vertical to the teeth and move it up and down.

Brush only a few teeth at one time, using six to eight strokes for each section.

Use a battery-powered child-sized brush if the child is not afraid of the vibrating motion.

Use a systematic approach so that all surfaces are thoroughly cleaned.

In brushing young children’s teeth, use any of the following positions:

• Stand with the child’s back toward you.

• Sit on a couch or bed with the child’s head in your lap.

• Sit on a floor or stool with the child’s head resting between your thighs.

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