I swear I’m brushing and flossing my 5-year-old’s teeth every night, but the dentist still found a couple of spots starting to go bad. Am I missing something? Do those little flossers really help or is it just wishful thinking? Would love to hear what’s actually worked for your kids, especially if you have picky eaters or, um, stubborn brushers.
“Do those little flossers really help or is it just wishful thinking?”
Honestly, those flossers are a lifesaver for tiny mouths—way easier than string floss. But have you checked if your kiddo’s actually letting you get all the way to the back teeth? Sometimes those molars are sneaky. Also, any juice or sticky snacks before bed? Even “healthy” stuff like raisins can be rough on enamel. I see spots pop up even with good routines if there’s a lot of snacking between meals...
“Even ‘healthy’ stuff like raisins can be rough on enamel. I see spots pop up even with good routines if there’s a lot of snacking between meals...”
I get the worry about snacks, but honestly, I think the routine matters more than cutting out every “sticky” thing. I had braces as a kid and my ortho was always on me about brushing after meals and being consistent, not just what snacks I ate. The flossers are definitely easier, but I’ve noticed my niece just kind of pokes them around unless someone’s watching. The back molars are tricky, yeah, but sometimes it’s just that kids rush through the whole thing.
I’d argue that supervised brushing and flossing (even with those little flossers) twice a day is more important than stressing over the occasional raisin or apple slice. We used to make a game out of it—who could brush for the full two minutes without stopping. It helped way more than obsessing over every snack.
Yeah, I’m with you—routine really does seem to beat obsessing over every little snack. When my kids were younger, we had to literally stand in the bathroom and watch them brush, or they’d just wave the toothbrush around for 30 seconds and call it done. I think the main thing is making sure they’re actually getting all the teeth, especially those back ones. We tried using a timer and some of those chewable disclosing tablets to show missed spots... kind of gross but super effective. I still think a few raisins here and there aren’t the end of the world if you’re on top of brushing.
Timers are a lifesaver, but those disclosing tablets… I tried them once and my kiddo was horrified by the color (and honestly, I was a little grossed out too). But I guess that’s the point—it’s hard to ignore the spots you’re missing when they’re bright purple. Still, even with that, I feel like we’re always fighting an uphill battle. My son is super stubborn about brushing, and sometimes I catch myself just rushing through it because bedtime is already a struggle.
We use the flossers because regular floss was a total no-go—he’d clamp his mouth shut and refuse. The little dinosaur-shaped ones seem to help, but I still wonder if we’re actually getting in there enough. I’m paranoid about cavities because I had a bunch as a kid. Is it possible some kids are just more prone no matter what? Sometimes it feels like we’re doing everything right and still not winning. The snack thing is tough too… I try to limit sticky stuff, but raisins sneak in thanks to daycare snacks.
Anyway, glad I’m not the only one stressing about this.
