How to Motivate Young People to Brush and Floss Regularly

Getting your children to brush their teeth can be a challenge. However, sometimes they will motivate themselves if given good information. Have a family night where you turn off the television, bring out new toothbrushes, individual toothpaste tubes, and give them the following discussion. Let them practice the techniques and "get squeaky" at the end. While it will take repetition to make permanent changes, you may find your children brushing and flossing more often. Make it fun.

Do your teeth bleed when you floss or brush? Do you have a bog in your mouth? A bog is defined as wet spongy ground with decomposing vegetation, which contains a high percentage of organic remnants and residues. Like a bog in your mouth, layers of rotting animal and vegetable material lying between your teeth are fertile feeding grounds for the invisible layer of bacteria that coat your teeth and gums, called plaque.

When unremoved, that layer of bog on your gums makes them irritated and sore. This soreness is the first stage of gum disease called gingivitis. Gingivitis if left unchecked can become very painful periodontitis, a serious gum disease that can destroy gum tissue, cause bone degeneration and the loss of teeth that would otherwise be healthy. The old saying, "You don't have to floss all of your teeth, only the ones you want to keep" is no joke. "Young people are not immune to gum disease, ninety percent of 15-year-olds experience gingivitis," says Dr. Craig W. Stout, D.D.S. of Crofton, Maryland. "Brushing or flossing alone isn't enough to get rid of gingivitis, you need to do both."

WHY DO YOUR GUMS BLEED WHEN YOU FLOSS?
When your gums are covered with and irritated by an un-removed layer of built up decaying food, blood vessels under the gum are exposed during flossing and some bleeding occurs. When the layer of bog has been there a long time, a lot of bleeding may occur, but it will get better the longer you continue to floss. You have to clean out the decaying bog to allow clean tissue to heal. When you floss regularly and remove the irritating matter, healthy layers of gum tissue and blood vessels will heal, and you will find your gums no longer bleed no matter how often you floss. Floss once a day, gently when your gums are sore, and more rigorously as your gums heal.

"Healing bleeding gums caused by gingivitis usually takes 2 to 4 weeks of proper flossing," says Dr. Stout. The soft and easily removed bacteria-laden plaque must be scraped away daily. If not, it becomes tartar or calculus, a mineralized plaque that the hygienist must chip and scrape away when you get your teeth cleaned every 6 months.

FLOSSING TECHNIQUE :
Regular method: cut a piece of floss about 18 inches, or approximately the length of your hand to your shoulder. Wrap the floss around your middle fingers. Carefully insert the floss between two teeth, using a back and forth motion. Gently bring the floss to the gumline (where the gum and teeth come together) and make a C-shape around the tooth until you feel pressure against the tooth. Do not "snap" your floss as you can cut your gum. Gently scrape the tooth surface with the floss. Do the same to the tooth on the other side. Use a new section of floss as you move between each set of teeth. Don't forget the backside of your last tooth.

Loop method: this is suited for children or adults with less nimble hands. Take an 18-inch piece of floss and make it into a circle. Tie it securely with three knots. Place all of the fingers, except the thumb, within the loop. Use your index fingers to guide the floss through the lower teeth, and use your thumbs to guide the floss the same as above.

Traditional dentistry says brush at LEAST twice a day, but Dr. Stout says that if we all took perfect care of our teeth, we would brush 5 times a day, 2 to 3 minutes at a time. "You should brush morning and evening and after every meal. If you cannot brush that often, a good compromise would be to brush 3 times; once in the morning, once after dinner and once at bedtime."

DO I PASS THE TIME TEST?
Time yourself the next time you brush. Most people think they already brush for 2 or 3 minutes at a time, but in reality most brush for 30 seconds or less. You can pass the 2-3 minute time test by timing yourself, counting to 60 three times, or listening to music (to an average song that lasts 2-3 minutes). Try brushing in the shower to music. Not only will you brush longer, but foaming at the mouth and dribbling would be perfectly acceptable!

DO I NEED A FANCY TOOTHBRUSH OR SPECIAL TOOTHPASTE?
"Choosing one kind of toothbrush or toothpaste is not as important at choosing a SOFT toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride. When it comes to how well toothbrushes and toothpaste clean, good technique is the key," says Dr. Stout. The American Hygienist's Association also recommends using a small brush head that fits better in the mouth. Toothbrushes should be changed every 3-4 months, as soon as they become frayed, or after you have been sick!

TOOTHBRUSHING TECHNIQUE
Avoid brushing too hard. You are not trying to chip off tartar, only remove the soft plaque. Place your soft toothbrush against your gumline at a 45-degree angle. Brush gently (using hardly any pressure at all) in small circular motions to brush the inside and outside of each tooth. Brush the inner surfaces or backs of your teeth with the front part of your toothbrush, holding the toothbrush almost vertical. Be sure to brush the backside of your last tooth.

NOT DONE TIL YOU BRUSH THE TONGUE
Finally, using a sweeping motion toward the front of your mouth, gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and food debris that remain in its cracks and crevices. Not brushing the tongue is a common brushing mistake which can cause bad breath even in people who brush regularly.

TAKE THE SQUEAK TEST
Floss your teeth and then brush for 2-3 minutes. When you have finished brushing, thoroughly rinse your mouth and spit. Take a damp finger and rub briskly back and forth on your teeth, inside and out. Your clean teeth will make a squeaking sound. When you can hear that squeaky sound on both the insides and outsides of your teeth, you have passed the squeak test!

CAN I SKIP GOING TO THE DENTIST?
Sorry, even with a regular routine of flossing and brushing, you still need to go to the dentist twice a year. This is your opportunity to have the hygienist remove any small amount of tartar or calculus that you miss along the gum line, etc., and also to have the dentist make sure your teeth are growing in and are aligned correctly. However, if you will remove the layer of bog, heal your gums by regular flossing, and make your teeth squeaky-clean two or three times a day, you will have healthy teeth and gums that will last a lifetime.

At the end of your family night lesson, take pictures of your family and their shining smiles for posterity!