LOS ANGELES, Feb. 6: In honor of National Children's Dental Health Month this February, Steripod-the nation's leading toothbrush protector-has partnered with pediatric dentist and mom Dr. Danielle Gilbert-Fowler, D.M.D. of Palmtree Pediatric Dentistry to share hygiene tips for the whole family.
"Families today are always on-the-go, whether it be school, a sleepover or camping trip, you want to take your toothbrush, but you want to keep it clean. Steripod is a great way to do that at home and on-the-go," said Dr. Dani, as she's known to her young patients.
Brush up on more oral hygiene tips with this helpful checklist from Dr. Dani, who shares more expert advice on Steripod's YouTube channel.
•"Only use a soft bristle toothbrush: While it's important to remove the plaque that adheres to your tooth structure and gumline, you don't want to scratch your enamel in the process.
•Start young: even before your child has teeth, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends brushing your child's soft tissues (gums and tongue) gently with a soft bristle toothbrush or a clean, moist washcloth once to twice a day.
•Use an FDA approved fluoridated toothpaste. It's okay to look for a flavor your child likes as long as it has fluoride in it. For parents that are strongly opposed to fluoride, I recommend finding a toothpaste with Xylitol.
•The AAPD recommends that caregivers begin brushing with a fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth erupts. Like all medicine, especially preventative medicine, it's all about dosage! An infant who is not able to expectorate (aka spit) yet, only needs a small smear of toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. Around three years old, you can increase the size of toothpaste to a small pea-sized amount.
•It's recommended that until the age of 7-8 years old, the parent needs to participate in the child's brushing. On average, the fine motor skills needed to do a good job brushing one's teeth aren't developed until this age. However, even when a child is old enough to do a good job, it doesn't mean they will! Hence, even with an older child, it's important to be aware of how they're doing with their oral hygiene.
•We always worry about kids getting sick-especially during flu season. One way Steripod helps is by decreasing cross contamination amongst family members who also use an individual tube of toothpaste.
•Brush for two minutes, twice a day.
•Don't forget the soft tissues! Plaque adheres very well to the gumline. If you brush the tooth structure but miss the gumline, you're missing a lot of the plaque that can cause bad breath, gum disease and cavities.
•You can't have a clean mouth with a dirty tongue - it's a breeding ground for bacteria. I love Steripod's new Tongue Cleaners - especially for the kids that I see. It's nice and narrow and something they can easily hold and use to really get back there with no gag reflex. Daily use of a Steripod Tongue Cleaner helps get rid of the contaminants that cause bad breath."
Steripod Kids toothbrush protectors are available at Walmart stores nationwide for $5.99, and come in a rainbow of easy-to-color-code, glitter pod options. New Steripod Tongue Cleaners are now available on Amazon and at GetSteripod.com in a 2-pack for $2.99 or 24-pack for $19.99.
