Your baby’s oral health is as important as an adult’s oral health. Hence, you need to follow all the preventive measures from childhood onwards. If you do not take care of your child’s oral health, your kid can face several dental health issues in the future.
Infant Tooth Care
Infants must be taken for regular dental checkups after they turn six months old. You should try to keep your infants away from thumb-sucking and bottle-sucking. They are known to pose tooth decay risks in an infant, degrading the quality of permanent teeth.
Teach your kid how to drink from a cup. Also, do not dip the pacifier into honey or other sugary substances. If they suck on sweet pacifiers, there will be higher risks of bacteria accumulation.
Prevent Teething, Thumb-Sucking, and Pacifiers
If your baby is teething, it means their gums have become sore. Try to cure it by gently rubbing the baby’s gums with a spoon back, finger, or wet gauze. You can also make them suck on a teething ring. However, pacifiers and teething rings work only till the age of 4, after which dentists do not recommend them. It is because they hinder the natural teeth development in a child. The same goes for thumb-sucking.
Fluoride Brushing and Flossing
Use infant toothpaste that contains fluoride to clean your baby’s teeth. You can also give fluoride supplements to the baby if prescribed by the doctor. Always use a soft-bristle toothbrush for babies. Besides regular brushing, flossing is recommended after your baby turns two.
Toothaches and Injuries
To prevent toothaches, encourage your child to rinse their mouth with a solution of warm water and table salt. If there is a mild toothache, you can also give acetaminophen to the child. But it’s best to contact the dentist before giving medications.
For preventing injuries, supervise your child while playing. Ask them to wear mouthguards for protection. For severe injury, clean their mouth properly and give them an ice pack. Take the child to a dentist if it still hurts.
Sealants
Sealants ensure that food particles do not stick in the gaps between tooth and gum. You can use them to prevent plaque in your child’s mouth.
If you follow all the preventive measures, you can ensure your kid’s healthy development of permanent teeth. Permanent teeth start replacing primary teeth at the age of 12 usually.
Get comprehensive dental care solutions for your little ones by Dr. Jeanne V. Devi, DDS. Call us at (626) 795-2544 or visit our website for more details. We are located at 595 E Colorado Blvd Suite 603, Pasadena, CA 91101.
