Much importance has been given to the dental care of adults. Yet, what about the milk teeth? Dentists advise us that the gum should be kept clean always even before the first tooth appears. The milk teeth fill the spaces on the gum before the permanent teeth grow. The milk teeth help the child talk clearly, make them chew, and eat properly.
Around six months, the first tooth pops out. Your toddler has 20 teeth by the time he or she is three years of age. It is very important to keep a toddler’s teeth healthy. When the teeth are yet to erupt, it is very crucial to clean the mouth of the baby with a soft clean cloth at least once every day.
How To Care For The Milk Teeth
To do this, you can sit on a chair with your kid in between you, take a clean soft cloth, dip it in water and wipe your child’s teeth gently. Sometimes, toddlers might want to wrestle with you, so it is advisable to hold them tight.
You can use a small toothbrush. It must be soft, as you know their teeth and gums are very delicate. Make sure you brush their teeth until it is very clean. Use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, do not give them water to gaggle and spit out; they will swallow it. You do not want them to swallow any toothpaste, be sure to supervise them. These are procedures of a painless tooth cleaning.
For the oral health of toddlers, there are things you must do to prevent tooth decay. Some of the things you can do to prevent tooth decay include:
Make sure you clean the child’s teeth after you feed them. You can do this with a soft cloth or toothbrush.
Always brush your child’s teeth very clean. Leaving food particles in your child’s teeth can cause tooth decay.
Do not give your child sugary foods, candy, juices, gummy vitamins, etc. These things can cause cavities in the toddler’s teeth. If you do give them such treats, then make sure you brush their teeth immediately after the consumption of such items.
It is wise to maintain good oral hygiene for your child. As a parent, if you had any gum disease before, your child is more likely to have it. If your child eventually complains of a toothache, it is best to seek treatment from the best dentist in Weston Fl.
In the case of fracture, decay, or abnormal formation of the milk teeth, dentists most often go for ceramic crowns or stainless steel. Crowns preserve the tooth while it prevents the decay from spreading further.
Things You Must Never Do
Another way a toddler can have cavities is due to the use of feeding bottles. You should never use these feeding bottles as a pacifier. If you want to give your child anything at bedtime, it should be water. Many parents develop the habit of leaving a feeding bottle filled with milk or some sugary elements with the child until the child falls asleep. This approach is wrong! You are exposing your child’s teeth to sugary liquids for long periods.
Doing this will further expose your child to tooth decay. You should bear in mind that you should never give a baby a pacifier that has sugar or honey in it. You should do your best to avoid it because when you give your child honey it can sometimes cause a very rare gastrointestinal infection. It is also called infant botulism. It is caused by exposure to Clostridium botulinum spores. A reaction to this has different symptoms. The common symptoms include vomiting, nausea, dizziness, weakness, arrhythmias, fainting, lethargy, seizures, and more.
You might say ‘I never give my kid honey.’ You should also remember not to give your child anything honey-based like cookies, etc. It is bad for children under two years.
Maintain Their Teeth
It is always advisable to be a good role model to your child. It is nice to brush your teeth while brushing your child’s teeth. It will be a lovely time parent-child bonding time together. Doing this will cultivate the healthy habit of brushing at appropriate times. When your child sees you do this, he or she will be eager to do it too, and when they grow up, it will be a happy habit.
Cultivate the habit of giving your child healthy foods, a balanced diet. Many snacks that children consume today cause cavity. Pick snacks that are nutritious for your child such as fruits, low-fat cheese, low-fat yogurt, vegetables, and so on. They are better and healthier for your child’s teeth, and they also help to protect the enamel. Enamel is one of the hardest substances in the body and the outermost layer of the tooth. It protects the tooth from decaying.
Fluoride strengthens the tooth enamel; it makes it more resistant to decay. Some sources of fluoride are fluoride mouthwash and drinking water containing fluoride. You should be aware that too much fluoride can change the appearance of your child’s teeth. As a parent, you need to know that when your child has bad breath, it could be caused by gum problems, tooth decay, etc. It is best to seek treatment from your dentist.
Conclusion
It is often recommended that you take your child to see a dentist by the age of one or months after their first tooth has erupted. Your dentist will examine your child, the dentist will check the existing teeth on your child’s gums and look for any tooth decay and examine gums for any underlying problem.
If any problem is identified, the dentist will clean the teeth and see if there is any need for the application of fluoride. The dentist will educate the parent about the importance of oral health for their toddler. This visit will be mainly about what to do and what should not be done and get all your questions answered. Make sure you keep to the dental checkup schedules. This will track the development or progress of the teeth and quickly treat any problem that occurs.