Your child’s teeth need to be cared for to prevent tooth decay. Good dental care should begin before your baby’s first tooth appears.
Caring for your baby’s teeth at their young years will make so much difference when they get older. They will also know the importance of oral hygiene and know how to care for themselves when there is no adult with them.
Poor oral care can lead to infection, disease, or other tooth-related problems like cavities or tooth decay – which can also affect your child’s ability to chew and eat – resulting in poor nutritional health.
Below are helpful tips to care for your child’s teeth:
1. Take Care of your child’s gums from day one
Before your baby starts growing teeth, make sure you pay attention to their dental care. Clean your child’s gums after every meal to prevent bacteria and germs from accumulating. You can do this by wiping your child’s gums with a damp cloth or damp cotton.
When your child starts developing teeth, place a little amount of fluoride toothpaste on a damp cloth and gently clean your their teeth.
2. Reduce their intake of sugary drinks and foods
Too much of sugary drinks and foods can lead to cavities in babies. As a parent, you should prevent this from happening by limiting the amount of sugary things your baby consumes.
Usually, when sugar and starch mix up with normal bacteria in the mouth, they tend to create acids that dissolve the tooth’s structure, thereby causing cavities or encourage bacteria growth and plaque build-up in the mouth.
Instead of giving them snacks too often, offer more fruits, vegetables, and enough water as substitutes for processed treats in order to help prevent acids from settling on their teeth.
3. Watch out for dental issues
There are a few things to watch out for in your baby. Watch for signs of:
- Grinding teeth at night
- Speech lisp
- Excessive mouth breathing
If you notice these or any other worrisome dental signs, visit a dentist.
4. Always monitor your little one when they are brushing
Children can develop tooth decay if good dental habits are not regularly practiced. As your baby begins to grow teeth, continue cleaning their gums and teeth after every meal.
When they start getting older, encourage and teach them how to hold the toothbrush and properly brush their teeth. Although, they may not like adults helping them brush their teeth, you should still supervise and guide them on the proper way to brush the teeth.
Also teach them how to spit out the toothpaste so that they don’t end up swallowing it.
5. Control the Sippy Cup
A Sippy cup can help your baby move from a feeding bottle to a glass, but don’t let your child drink from the Sippy all day long because prolonged usage can lead to decay on the back of the front teeth if the drinks are sugary.
It is also advisable that you don’t let your baby fall asleep with a feeding bottle because babies who sleep with a bottle of milk, formula, fruit juice, or other drink can also develop severe tooth decay. If you must put your child to bed with a bottle, fill it with cool water.
Oral hygiene in itself is not only about the teeth, it refers to taking care of the mouth in general.
So, don’t discard your baby’s dental care because of their age. The sooner you start caring for your child’s teeth the better – and the more they’ll know the importance of good oral hygiene and prepare them to care for their oral health themselves.
Read also: 9 Important Reasons Children Should Not Consume Junk Foods
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