It is important to take the dental health of infants and young children seriously because tooth decay, also known as tooth decay, One of the leading childhood chronic diseases in the United States. There are other dental problems that affect your little ones.
Cavities can cause infections and pain, affecting a child’s ability to speak, eat, learn and play.
Also, statistics showed that children with poor oral health missed school more often and had lower grades than children without.
So, in this article, we will look at the best dental health tips for babies and toddlers.
Dental consultation for infants and toddlers
We will cover dental health tips for babies and toddlers separately.
For newborns.
- Use a soft clean cloth or gauze to wipe their gums twice a day, after the first feeding in the morning and before bed, to remove sugars and bacteria that could cause any infection. You can also clean the baby’s gums after each meal. When you do this, put the baby in a comfortable position where you can quickly see the inside of his mouth.
- When they start to develop teeth, take a soft toothbrush with small bristles and brush them with plain water. Place the bristles of the toothbrush along the teeth and against the gum line. Clean the brush with gentle circular motions. Because teeth are still tender, back and front brushing can damage baby’s gums and teeth. Also, remember to brush your tongue with a toothbrush.
- Consult our doctor about fluoride toothpaste before using it on babies to avoid any kind of complications. If you must use fluoride toothpaste, use only the size of a grain of rice.
- Visit the dentist when your child turns one year old to check for any dental problems.
For the little ones.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste on a soft toothbrush to brush your teeth twice a day.
- Help the child brush his teeth until he learns to brush. Make sure you watch them and that they use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and spit them out when they’re ready instead of swallowing them.
- You can use tap water which contains fluoride for them.
- Visit the dentist regularly for checkups. Your child’s dentist can apply dental sealants when needed.
Other dental health tips for babies and toddlers include:
Below are some other dental tips that will be helpful for the dental health of your babies and toddlers:
- Be aware of what your child eats or drinks throughout the day. This is because the sugar in the baby’s food or drink turns into acid after 20 minutes in the baby’s mouth. This is why it is necessary to wash the baby’s mouth after every meal.
- Remove the breast from the baby’s mouth if he falls asleep while breastfeeding.
- Avoid nighttime feedings and on-demand feedings when baby’s first tooth erupts.
- Start weaning your baby from bottle to cup on his first birthday.
- Avoid using the bottle as a pacifier. Use a bottle only during feeding.
- Do not put your baby to sleep with a bottle of formula.
- Fluoride toothpaste is best for babies and toddlers because it strengthens their teeth and protects them from tooth decay.
Conclusion
Dental health in infants and young children should be a priority, as dental problems at this stage can interfere with speaking, hearing and learning. Be vigilant when implementing the above tips.