Even though your baby’s teeth are not permanent, it is important that you take very good care of them and clean baby teeth. This is because baby teeth hold spaces open for permanent teeth to come in. Baby teeth not only form the shape of your child’s face, but they also make it easier for your child to talk more clearly. They also make chewing and eating easier.
If baby teeth are not cared for properly, it can result in tooth decay. This can cause pain and discomfort; infections that can affect the child’s overall health; damage to the underlying permanent teeth; missing school; needing emergency care; loss of space needed for permanent teeth to come in, and the need for costly dental care. In this article, we’ll talk about how to clean your baby teeth naturally…
When and how should you start cleaning your baby’s teeth?
Good dental care begins even before your baby’s teeth appear. Just because you cannot see your baby’s teeth at birth does not mean they are not there. In fact, baby teeth begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy. At birth, your baby has 20 primary teeth, many of which are fully developed. Here are some tips about how to clean your baby teeth naturally, as well as when to start brushing your baby’s teeth:
- Even before your baby starts teething, you should run a clean, soft, damp washcloth over the gums to clear away harmful bacteria.
- Once your baby gets teeth, you should brush them with an infant toothbrush, which is a specialized brush for baby teeth.
- Use a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste and water to clean the baby’s teeth. The quantity of fluoride should be about the size of a grain of rice.
- When two of your baby’s teeth touch, you can floss between them.
- When your child turns two years of age, she should learn to spit while brushing.
- Avoid giving your child water to swish and spit because this will make it more likely that she will swallow toothpaste.
- Children ages 3 and up should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
- You should supervise children below 8 years of age while they are brushing as they are more likely to swallow toothpaste.
- By the time they are 11 years of age, children should be able to brush their teeth totally unsupervised.
How to prevent tooth decay in babies
Tooth decay is formed by the bacteria in the plaque that forms in your baby’s mouth. When your child takes medicine or eats food that has sugar in it, these bacteria produce acids, which destroy the teeth. Here are some ways that you can prevent tooth decay in babies with optimal baby dental care:
- As an expectant mother, you should take good care of your oral health even before your baby is born. You should see your dentist regularly when you are pregnant.
- Whether you choose to breastfeed or bottle-feed, you should take good care of your baby’s teeth.
- You should not put your child to bed with a bottle or food, as this not only exposes your child’s teeth to sugars but also puts your child at risk for ear infections and choking.
- You should not use a bottle or a sippy cup as a pacifier. If your child wants to have the sippy cup or pacifier in between meals, fill it with water.
- Check to see if the water you give your baby is fluoridated. If your tap water does not have enough fluoride, your dentist can prescribe a fluoride supplement. Your dentist can also prescribe a fluoride varnish to protect your child’s teeth from decay.
- Your child should drink from a regular cup as soon as possible, preferably by 12 to 15 months of age.
- You should limit the amount of sweet and sticky foods your child eats. These include candies, cookies, gummies, crackers, and chips. If your child does eat these foods, you should teach your child to use her tongue to clean food immediately off the teeth.
- Avoid serving juice to your baby regularly. In fact, juice should not be part of the diet of babies younger than six months.
- Make an appointment for your child to see your dentist before the age of 1.
Fluoride is one of the best ways to prevent and halt tooth decay. Fluoride should be provided to the child either in drinking water or then, as a supplement in the form of drops or tablets, with or without vitamins. You should consult your dentist about providing your child with fluoride if you do not have fluoride in your water.
When your child is about 2 years of age, regular fluoride treatments should begin. Your dentist can apply a fluoride solution on the surface of your child’s teeth to give the teeth added protection. In order that you look after your baby’s teeth in the best possible way, you need to consult the best possible dentist.
You will definitely find one at Vistadent, the Orthodontic Speciality Clinic, located in Hyderabad, India. We provide all our patients, including babies and children with the best possible dental care. Our dentists and dental hygienists are impeccably trained and use the very latest and most hygienic dental instruments.
We will understand your and your child’s particular problem and will treat your child holistically. We will consult with you to take the best care of your child’s teeth. We will never rush you nor trivialize your presenting symptoms. Each consult will be detailed and we will work closely and gently with your child each time you visit us.
So, if you need the best possible care for your baby’s teeth, do consult with Vistadent for the best possible baby dental care and have no fear or doubts that you have made the right choice!
For more information about cleaning and taking care of baby teeth or any other dental procedures, as well as other dental problems, contact Vistadent, the Orthodontic Speciality Clinic, at 040-23388111 or +91 9866572482 or at info@vistadent.net or visit our website at http://vistadent.net/.