Many parents don’t worry about tooth care in babies and young children. This is because these teeth are known as ‘baby teeth’ and will be replaced by adult teeth, usually by the time they are thirteen. However, the habits you create when your child is very young will stay with them throughout life.
This is why it’s essential that you adopt the right approach to caring for your children’s teeth, from the moment they are born.
The good news is that it’s very easy to do!
Wipe Gums
Your baby starts eating food when they are very young and may not have teeth. At this stage, you should still be wiping their gums twice a day with a soft, clean, and damp cloth. It will remove food debris and get them used to have their gums touched.
Start Brushing
From the moment you see a tooth in your baby’s mouth, you need to start brushing. You’ll want to use a soft bristle brush and gently brush all around the tooth. There are brushes specifically designed for babies, it’s best to do this just once a day.
As your baby grows into a small child encourage them to undertake this task themselves, it should be done at least twice a day.
This is also the tie when you should consider making your first appointment with a reputable pediatric dentist Sydney. Although there is little they need to do at this stage it will build your baby’s tolerance to dentists, help to prevent dental fear, and allow the dentist to monitor tooth growth.
Never Leave them With A Bottle
Just as snacking all day can be detrimental to your teeth, so can leaving your baby with a bottle. They will suck it intermittently, this leaves food traces on their teeth and gums, potentially allowing the enamel n their teeth to be attacked.
Suckling on a bottle or a dummy can also increase the risk of the teeth being misaligned.
Switch To A Cup
Once your baby is six months old they should be able to switch from a bottle to a sippy cup. This reduces the strain on the teeth when sucking on a bottle.
It’s also important to consider what drinks are being offered to your children. Water is best, juice should be limited as it is full of sugar and carbonated drinks shouldn’t even be an option until they are older.
This will reduce the likelihood of the enamel on their teeth being attacked and treating cavities when they are young.
Food Choices
It’s also important to consider what you’re feeding your baby and young child. Ideally, you’ll want to steer clear of processed foods and anything high in sugar. These aren’t just detrimental to their teeth, eating processed foods can cause obesity and associated health problems.
Your child may not suffer from these issues but you’ll be introducing habits that they’ll carry into adulthood, effectively giving the issues when they are older.
