Good oral health care forms in the earlier parts of childhood. However for the brushing to be effective, it is important for a parent to assist in the brushing of the children's teeth for the first few years of brushing.

For brushing to be effective it needs to be done for two minutes. This is one of the main reasons that a parent needs to help a child learn to brush. Use a timer to make the process more fun. Show them a goal and help them reach this goal. The brushing habit starts in whichever way it is taught. Therefore, if it is taught to be a fast, and less thorough process, a child will continue through life with that process. If however the process is taught correctly and with detail, then you will be teaching those children to brush their teeth so that their teeth with last them their lifetime.

Be a good example to your children when you are teaching good oral hygiene. This will show them first of all what to do and also will help them learn the importance of brushing and flossing their teeth. Children love to be like their parents.

Flossing is a very important part of oral hygiene. With this in mind, you will need to teach your children to floss just as much as you will need to teach them to brush. Flossing is something that can be fun. With around 12 inches of floss wrapped around their tiny index fingers, show them how to move the floss in a C-shape motion slowly back and forth, using care not to snap the floss against their gums. Irritating the gums will make a child less likely to be willing to try the flossing again.

Track the brushing patterns of your children on a chart with stickers. Make this a daily part of the brushing process, therefore showing a pattern to your children and also assisting them in setting and reaching their goal of good oral hygiene.

Use a toothbrush that is comfortable for your child to put all the way into the back area of their teeth. Also, use toothpaste that is pleasurable to the taste buds. This will be more alluring when you are trying to get the child to brush. Also, encourage your child to rinse with a fluoride rinse. This will help with strengthening the tooth.

Be sure when you are helping your children to brush and rinse, that they do not swallow the paste, or rinse as to much fluoride is somewhat bad for digestion. However if they swallow a little it will likely not do too much to them. Use only a small pea size of toothpaste and only a very small amount of rinse.

Children should go to the dentist the first time at about one year old. This is a great time to get your children familiar with brushing regularly. At a younger age, as soon as the risk of choking from the toothbrush is no longer there, you can also give your child their toothbrush and let them play with it. This will let them become familiar with the brush and will also let them see how it feels.

Example and practice makes for a child to learn to brush their teeth effectively. Keep the process up every day and you will see that in time the child will learn and do the brushing on their own when the time is right.