How to get your kids to brush without the battle: Ask a dental expert

[MaddyMumsnet]

Beat the challenge of getting your kids to brush their teeth.
Ask our dental expert about good oral health habits and what you can do to help your kids enjoy keeping their teeth healthy and at the same time reduce your stress! Are you struggling to get your child to brush their teeth? Worried about cavities and visits to the dentist? Too many sugary treats? Perhaps your child has physical or sensory challenges which make it difficult to brush? Our dental health expert is here to answer your burning questions and help you find long lasting routines that fit seamlessly into your family life.

About the expert
James Goolnik BDS MSc, a dentist with a passion for nutrition. James is the Founder of the Optimal Dental Health in London and a member of The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, and fully SMART certified. James was previously President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentists and is now head judge of the Private Dentistry Awards and lectures internationally on the mouth body connection. James has twice been voted the most influential person in dentistry in the UK. He is currently studying for a diploma in functional nutrition with The Institute of Optimal Nutritionists and his mission is to help the UK get healthier starting with their mouths! James is married with three children.

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Should children floss- if so how would you recommend how, particularly the molars which are the teeth which are cleaned less.

I started to get my children used to teeth brushing from 6-8 months with a tiny brush and tiny amounts of toothpaste, they now brush twice independently, they have good dental health, but my worry is the back teeth, what technique should they use best for back teeth rather than sides and top - and for how long ?

Is a manual or electric toothbrush best - for children and adults? Thanks.

I’ve got my six year old brushing her teeth herself well now but how long should she be aiming to brush for? I’m never sure.

We have a timer in our bathroom for teeth brushing, set at 3 minutes - It does not seem long enough - we tried the timer for 5 minutes and the children gave up and got bored - is 3 minutes with a soft brush and fluride toothpaste enough ?

Hello - my now 3 year old has a very slightly dark mark (my husband says he can’t even see it) behind his front tooth. I think it’s been there since he had a fall and hurt his mouth about a year ago! Is this normal? My dentist wasn’t concerned at all but they honestly spent less than 1 minute looking over my toddlers teeth!

My son is autistic and he gets very stressed at bed time when we try to clean his teeth. I am lucky if I manage to get a toothbrush in his mouth, let alone actually clean any teeth. I am worried his teeth will decay. I read about xylitol, what is it and how does that prevent cavities??? I desperately need any help I can get as it's not a pleasant experience for either of us, trying to keep his teeth clean.

Which toothpaste would you recommend - there are flavours such as strawberry and peaches and cream on the market - It may help with teeth brushing - or would you simply start them on a mint flavoured milk teeth toothpaste.

Should children use a mouthwash for after brushing and swishing around to catch any missing bits of food stuck between their teeth ?

What benefits are there to chewing gum and sugar free sweets to improve oral health in children - I have heard that Xylitol had side effects - please explain

Hello, I suffer with dry mouth, especially when I wake up in the morning. Is this to do with my teeth or something wrong with my gums? It suddenly started happening and I don't know what to do about it.

how many times would you recommend my 7 year old visits the dentist per year? thank you

Is flossing necessary for children who are getting their adult teeth ? baby teeth are normally spread out in our case anyway.

How do I stop my children's breath from smelling between meals? We brush after breakfast and I am finding by lunch time, their breath is quite potent.

Our dentist says to spend 3 minutes brushing, including one minute on your tongue! This seems excessive, is it really needed?!

I spent a lot of time to help my children learn to clean their teeth, telling them what I was doing from a very early age, ''brush your smilies'' brush your crunchies'' a different technique for from and back teeth, starting with a milk teeth toothpaste and then a junior toothpaste, they are now at senior school both with beautifully white teeth and no fillings have ever been needed.

My child uses a strawberry flavoured child’s toothpaste as they don’t tolerate mint flavours, which most toothpaste seems to be. It says it is for age 3-8, but seems to have the same amount of fluoride as adult toothpastes. So is there another reason it says it is for this age group or can they continue using this into adulthood if needed? I’ve looked for non mint flavoured toothpaste for older children and adults and can only find a few very expensive brands.

What about mouth breathing? Would love to hear more on here about this topic!

DD has some plaque on her teeth she was upset when the dentist tried to remove it as she didn't like the sensation. After that the dentist didn't try very hard to remove it, she said she didn't want to put DD off going to the dentist. I worry about it all the time. Will she end up with dental caries under this plaque?

My almost 2 year old clamps her mouth shut or throws the toothbrush away when I try to brush her teeth. I’ve tried all sorts of brushes and tricks and tips but she really hates it - how can I brush her teeth without force?

What improvement would you expect to see in children's teeth if plant based sweeteners were used in place of current sugars in most foodstuffs ?

Hello, when is the best age to start teeth brushing - as soon as they get milk teeth ? and if this is around 6-8 months what's the best way to do this please ?

Should children floss and if so what's the vest way to teach this?

Hello, my 7 year olds front tooth came in with a white/ yellow mark on it. It was there immediately when it emerged so I don't think it can be decay. He did have an accident two weeks before the tooth came through where he fell and bashed the gums on some play equipment. I remember thinking thank goodness the teeth weren't in or he'd have knocked them out!! Could this have marked the tooth and is it worth seeing a dentist?

When Is the best time to brush? I've heard you shouldn't brush within a half hour of eating. It is better to brush before eating in the morning as we don't have a half hour to wait afterwards?