At Santa Fe Dental, your family dentist in Edmond, Oklahoma, many parents ask: “Do I need to floss my toddler’s teeth“? The answer is yes!

Flossing can be the most overlooked part of keeping a child’s teeth clean, one that is critically important in preventing cavities. Flossing is important because it enables you to clean between the teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach and where many cavities start. Once the primary teeth begin to touch together it is necessary to begin flossing.

With younger toddlers and preschool aged children the easiest way to floss is with a floss stick. These can be purchased at any drug store. The size of adult hands and children’s mouths can make flossing difficult. Floss sticks allow you to get floss in between children’s back teeth without having to stick your hands all the way to the back of their mouths. We recommend that parents floss their children’s teeth until they are able to tie their own shoes.

The key to flossing a young child’s teeth is going to be the flossing position. If you have two people available to help with flossing then that is ideal. Two people can floss a child’s teeth in the knee to knee position. The two adults should sit facing each other with their knees almost touching. The child can sit in one adult’s lap facing them. Then, the child can be leaned back onto the lap of the other adult providing easy access for flossing (and brushing).

Happy flossing!