Flossing with a Toddler

My kids have no idea that they had a shot. My dentist asked that they be the ones to explain-and after wards i said, so, how was the shot? and the kids said, there was no shot. i then asked, what? and the dentist said we dont call it that. whatever, they are just fine w/ the dentist. both of my kids had fillings at age six-in the EXACT same teeth. weird! I have them use those flosser sticks. you can get them just about anywhere they sell floss. they come in a bag of 100. oral b makes them, and so do other comapanies

The kid-size single flossers rock! I've been using them for nearly a year on my three year old. She CAN actually get most of her teeth herself, but the back teeth are a little too tight. She gets her turn and then I finish (including going over what she did).

If your dentist allows you to be in the room (which I hope he does), I would just sit near his head. Hold his hand, have close his eyes, and tell him his favorite story. Our dentist tells the child what is happening, but the tray of instruments is out of their line of sight. You just have to stay calm and positive and not let your son see you get one bit upset.

i would assume they will use laughing gas on him to relax him a bit. talk to him about what is going to happen soo he is prepared a little. even though it may scare him a little i think it helps them to understand. also you may not be allowed in there with him when its getting filled so explain that possibility. my daughter is 3 and as seen a dentist since she was 1. i have been flossing her since around 2. i use the flossing picks because i cant get my own fingers in her mouth to floss like i do. i hope this helps.

My toddler will try to floss and brush his own teeth, but I do it every night just to make sure it's clean.

My dentist told me to sit on the floor and have my son lie down in my lap. I found flossing works best if his head is toward me and his legs pointing away. Maybe ask your dentist for some pointers?

I also bought a "flossing pick" -- not sure if that's what they're called -- but it doesn't do as good a job.

I had many cavities as a child myself and went through a number of barbaric sessions before my mom found a good pediatric dentist. I definitely want to spare my children the same pain and trauma. I'll be supervising their flossing and brushing for a long time.

You just floss for them. It's quick and easy. He's old enough to understand about caring for his teeth. As for the cavity, they swab the gum to numb it ,so he probably won't see a needle. Pediatric dentists are very good ---they don't want to make things harder than they already are. Good luck.

As a dental hygienist, and nutritional therapist, it is NOT normal to have a cavity at 4 unless he is eating alot of sugar which is any kind of processed foods or sodas and sugar corn syrup(horrid) and other food type things that turn to sugar in the system. The DDS does not have top give a shot unless it is deep. It should not be if you take him regularly. Hold him in your lap as he has this done. Really it is good you went but I never even recommend a dentis visit until 5 as the mouth does not have plaque or cavity causing bacteria until this age and beyond. Unless as I said exposed to the toxic foods. Do NOT let your 4 year floss! They can premanately damage the tissue! If you have to do this at his age floss his teeth with him laying down in your lap. I did this for my young children 6-10 or so. Don't do anything that will make them afraid of the dentist. It is not woth the life long trauma. Wait and they can have it done later. It is not going to hurt to wait a few months. tho sitting in moms lap always helped for me ;)

My daughter is 4 and just had one filled. They did not use a needle, they used the laughing gas or whatever it is called, and that was all that was needed. It was over before she even knew it. She was not groggy or acting weird after it was done. It literally took 5 minutes and it was over.
Her dentist is awesome, we go to Teddy Bear Dental in Irvine.

My daughter gets cavities no matter what we do. Her dentist say some kids just have bad teeth. I hope she grows out of it. So, I floss her teeth religiously. We use floss sticks. At first I had to basically pin her down, but now she just lets me floss easily. She's 4-1/2 now and we've been flossing for a over a year now. It's really hard to see your child after they get a cavity filled. Are they medicating your son? They act a little drunk when they get medicated and it's sad to see them that way. After, my daugher was groggy and cranky and wimpered alot. After the novacaine wears off, she's usually better. It's hard though. Just have alot of soft foods on hand and be ready to cuddle your son.

My son goes to Dr Kelly in Upland (pediatric Dentist) . He had to have a cavity filled, and had know idea that he had a shot. Dr Kelly is great at talking w/ the children through out the process. My son looks forward to Dr Appt.

My daughter is 3 1/2 and just had 2 cavaties filled. They used laughing gas, it was over in 10m.

We have the single flossers. They are in the kids section of the toothpaste aisle. They come in fun handles like stars, moons, dinos.

I agree with Danielle. I sit on the ground and my daughters put their head in my lap and I floss their teeth (one is 4 and one is 6). I do the first round of flossing then they get their turn. I do it first because, believe it or not, they are not that great at getting to each tooth.

Also, I bought the floss sticks. I really like the ones I got at Target because of the way the floss is placed on the stick. I am not quite sure how to explain this with words, but the floss sticks that can lay perfectly flat on the table do not work as well as the ones whose floss runs perpendicular to the stick. Hope this helps. It is not a fun task, but one that I know I have to do.

My daughter had a cavity filled at 4. I was floored because we come from a dental background family. One of the main things for helping to prevent is to brush his teeth for him. Up until about age 8, kids don't do a good job on their own. We also have a 3 minute timer. The evening brush is the most important. When we sleep our immune system decreases and that is whenn bacteria grows.

We are also a holistic family. My husband is an acupuncturist. Nutrition is very important , but without proper brushing, you will still get cavities. My daughter has always been a rock star healthy eater. Even at 4, she would select spinach salads to have for her lunch at school. I do believe you need to get the tooth filled.

My daughter had a movie to watch and had it over in 10 minutes. The doctor very carefully monitored the amount of laughing gas and O2 levels.

Good luck.

N.

I haven't had to deal with the cavity issue yet, but they make these little kid flosser things to help them out. I think they kind of almost have a little handle with the floss tight between two ends.

My oldest son is four though and is always fascinated with me flossing. I would say make sure he knows you floss and let him watch. A lot of times as soon as I'm done, he asks me to floss his teeth...I get more floss and floss his teeth...watch out for him to accidentally close his mouth too quickly and almost bite you, but if you keep reminding him to keep his mouth open, he just may enjoy being "just like mom!"

Good luck.
-M

You floss for them, kids don't do a systematically good job on their own for quite some time. I floss my 7 year old still.

I found using the dental floss pics was easier than trying with a piece of dental floss. I made a game out of it - here is the lasso that will capture the bad guy between your teeth....

Most dentists who work with kids are great about sneaking in the needle, they keep it out of the line of sight, they use bubble gum flavored topical as well as distraction.