Baby Teeth - Dental Care Tips For Babies & Toddlers
Proper dental health is important and starts from birth. Your child will get a set of 20 primary teeth. Having healthy teeth is important for speaking and chewing. Since first dental check-ups aren’t usually scheduled until your baby is between one and two, most new moms are unsure of what they should be doing to take care of their newborn or toddlers mouth.
Here are the top 5 things you should do to promote good oral hygiene in your baby or toddler and keep those baby teeth healthy.
- Clean the teeth and gums 2-3 times a day. It is important to wipe your baby’s gums with a wet washcloth or gauze pad even before there are signs of the first tooth erupting. There are many dental products on the market for babies and toddlers. You can purchase finger toothbrushes, regular toothbrushes, gum stimulators, and flavored toothpaste. Babies and toddlers are too young for fluoride toothpaste because swallowing fluoride is dangerous. You can use enzymatic toothpaste.
The enzymes in it will help break down some of the sugar and starch that cause bacteria, and it’s safe to swallow. Make sure you inspect your child’s teeth on a regular basis. If you notice any white or brown spots on the teeth, make an appointment right away for your child to be seen by your dentist.
- Make sure your baby or toddler is getting fluoride- Fluoride is essential in the development of strong, healthy teeth. Many states include fluoride in the drinking water. Check with your local area to find out if your water is fluoridated. If it isn’t, you can obtain a prescription for liquid fluoride vitamins to be given daily.
- Limit juices and sweets Eating a well balanced diet is good for all of us, especially babies and toddlers. Limit the amount of junk food and sweets your baby/toddler eats. Unnecessary sugar is sure to cause decay, even at an early age. When giving your child juice, dilute it with water.
- Never put a baby down with a bottle- It is never a good idea to put a baby down to sleep with a bottle or to let them sleep immediately after drinking. When you sleep, your mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva to wash away the liquid, causing the sugary substance to stay directly on the teeth. This will cause the teeth to rot. There is no treatment for a rotten tooth other than to have it pulled. Having a tooth pulled at this early of an age can be very traumatic for a child. This is not something you would want to have them go through. Wait 20 minutes to a half hour before putting your baby to sleep after drinking.
- Develop A Routine Make tooth brushing part of a daily routine. Children do well when they have routines and know what to expect at each part of the day. You can include brushing after breakfast and dinner and also make it a part of the bedtime routine. Another tip is to have older children brush with them. Your baby or toddler will begin to see this as something that everyone in the family does. You’ll notice them giving you less resistance to brushing.
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