Having a small baby increases your responsibility as a parent. You need to be very careful regarding food and hygiene. However, you must also pay attention to your baby’s oral health. You might wonder that your baby does not have any teeth, but still, infant oral care is a must. Infant oral care is important if you want to protect your baby from cavities later. So give it a start and make your baby’s oral health care a priority.
Most pediatric dentists recommend that regular dental care should begin by 1 year of age, with a dental check-up at least twice a month for most children. In certain cases, children may need check-ups more often. Maintaining oral health of a child’s baby teeth/ milk teeth/primary teeth is very important. These teeth hold space for the future adult (permanent) teeth.
How Will You Maintain Oral Health Of Your Infant?
Clean The Gums Of Your Baby:
Although, it is very natural that you cannot use toothpaste or toothbrush before the tooth pops up. But you can always clean the gums after feeding them and it will remove the bacteria present in the mouth. Starting from an early age will help the baby to get used to the process of cleaning mouth and gums. To easily clean the baby’s gums, you need to wrap a clean cloth around your finder, soak it in lukewarm water and then gently rub the gums with it. In this way, you won’t be hurting the gums and also cleaning it efficiently.
Being Careful With The First Teeth:
When you witness the first teeth of your baby, it must be considered the right time to bring out the soft bristles toothbrush and an extremely small amount of toothpaste. Moreover, it is essential to choose a small soft toothbrush that could easily fit in the smaller mouth.
Tip: Make sure you are getting a fluoride-free toothpaste for your baby. A toothpaste that has no flavor is safe for your baby’s teeth.
Cleaning The Mouth And Teeth – Twice A Day:
You must inculcate a habit of cleaning the mouth twice a day right from the moment the first teeth appear. While brushing the teeth, you must brush the tooth and around the gums. Once the baby starts developing multiple teeth, make him learn to floss after brushing the teeth. Flossing will help you remove the debris from the mouth that might be stuck in between the teeth and gums.
Tip: By properly cleaning and maintaining the oral health of the baby, you make sure that the milk teeth do not fall out prematurely.
Healthy baby teeth mark the space where the permanent teeth will grow while helping your child learn to chew and pronounce words properly.
Feeding Baby Healthy Drinks To Maintain Oral Health:
Providing a healthy diet is important to strengthen the gums and teeth of the baby. As babies can start consuming food from 6 to 7 months of age, it is essential to provide the right drinks and food. Although, you can provide them fruit juices but make sure they are fresh and have no added sugar.
The Right Time To Consult The Doctor:
You must take a visit to the dentist for the first time when the baby is one-year-old. You can also visit the dentists as soon as the first teeth appear. As kids are at a high risk of developing cavities, it is essential to get advice and suggestions from the dentist to prevent serious oral health issues. Be wise enough in choosing a dentist that has skills and specialized training with kids. Sometimes, teething may also cause a fever. You must consult a dentist or even a physician or paediatrician if your baby has a fever.
Summary:
Having healthy teeth is important to your baby’s oral health as well as overall health. Healthy teeth help the baby eat and form sounds and words. The growth of teeth also affects the way your baby’s jaw grows. A baby with good oral care helps in adopting healthy oral habits as the baby grows. Having poor oral care, babies can lead to infection, disease, or other teeth problems. Specifically, infant oral care is just the beginning of a lifelong habit of good oral hygiene. You must consult dentists if you ever face problems with caring for your baby’s teeth. Always be prepared with what to use and when to use as it will make each visit as easy as the last.