How To Help Your Child To Make The Most Of A Water Flosser

Using a water flosser can dramatically improve your child's oral health and help to protect them from gum disease and tooth decay. However, how that water flosser is being used will make a big difference in whether or not it has a positive impact on your child's oral health. If your child has recently started using the water flosser themselves or you're just not sure that they're getting the results that you want, this guide can help you to encourage your child to use a water flosser correctly.

Missing Full Efficacy

Face it: kids enjoy making messes and playing with water, so there's every possibility that handing your child what amounts to a tiny hose can tempt them to play around with it. Monitoring your child's use of the water flosser can help to keep misuse to a minimum, but that doesn't mean that your child will use it properly, either. If your child is mostly pointing at their teeth and not the gaps between them or the gumline, you'll only see partial benefits from the use of this device.

Tablets

The best way to show your child exactly what they need to target is to use plaque disclosing tablets. Plaque disclosing tablets are safe, inexpensive chewable tablets that adhere themselves to the sticky plaque on and between teeth. They're typically dyed red or pink to stand out so that you can't miss where the problem areas are. People can use these tablets at any age, but they're particularly helpful in showing children what they've missed when cleaning.

Spray Away

When it's time for your child to use their water flosser, have them pop a plaque disclosing tablet first. This will highlight all the areas that have accumulated the most plaque, which typically includes the space between your child's teeth. With the targets cited, tell your child to let loose and to blast away anything with that color on it.

Chances are, your child will enjoy this process as a sort of game. The more of the red that disappears, the more fulfilled they'll feel, and the healthier their teeth and gums will be. Everyone wins, and this process will help your child to build a healthy habit that will last them into adulthood.

If you're not sure if your child is using a water flosser correctly, talk to a dentist like William E Kemper DMD. They can show you exactly what your child should be doing with it and can tell you exactly what areas of the teeth and gums aren't getting enough care at home.