As your child grows, there are a lot of things parents must look after in order to bring them up in a healthy way. One of the most important parts a parent must focus on is the child’s teeth. This has been neglected these days and has lead to several tooth related problems starting from a very early age.
Children indulge way too much in unhealthy food habits where they end up consuming way too many sweets and other acid infused food. This pattern is often neglected by the parents and hence this gradually leads to tooth related issues like tooth decay and etc. It is always recommended to schedule your child’s first visit to our reputed dental clinic as early as possible to keep a track of his/her dental health.
Let us first start by the basic care for your child’s teeth which you as a parent can begin at home:
Brushing Your Child’s Teeth:
As a parent, you should start worrying about your child’s dental health as early as the appearance of the first tooth. Good dental care begins even before a baby’s first tooth appears, even when you are unable to see the teeth.
- Usually, teething helps the baby, but before this phase begins, it is recommended by a dentist to clean the gums of the baby to avoid the habitation of harmful bacteria.
- There are infant toothbrushes that are available which can be used on the sensitive tooth of the baby once it grows.
- It is suggested to use a dentist recommended toothpaste for your baby, as using too much can cause irritation for the baby.
- Use water to brush in the beginning and as the child ages, you can shift to a dentist recommended toothpaste for the child.
- Supervise and show kids how to brush well, because there are high chances of them swallowing the paste if they don’t learn how to spit properly in between brushing.
Feeding Issues:
Babies can be very loud when they don’t get enough attention and milk. This also results in overfeeding or in some cases underfeeding. Babies are also more prone to tooth related issues if the mother fails to keep up good eating habits.
Though some mothers tend to make the baby sleep with a bottle, this leads to higher chances of dental issues in the baby. When the sugars from juice or milk remain on a baby’s teeth for hours, they can eat away the enamel. This is called a bottle mouth, and there have been cases where the kids ended up with decay and cavities and had to get the entire milk teeth pulled out.
Cut Down Certain Foods:
Children love to constantly munch on anything from time to time. And this mostly includes sugary stuff which in turn leads to cavities and tooth decay. Sugary foods, juices, candy can erode enamel and cause cavities at a very early age. This will lead to a visit to the dental clinic regularly.
Though it’ll be difficult to stop your child from having such snacks, it is recommended to maintain a limit. And also, always make sure that your child rinses their mouth thoroughly after having sweets, candy or even taking sweetened liquid medicines.
As your child grows, make sure that you have a routine dental checkup at your dental clinic, depending on your dentist’s recommendations. Once you keep a check of the sugar intake of your child, taking care of their dental health right from the start and visiting your dentist, will keep their teeth healthy and strong.
Do you want to take your child for their first dental check-up? Consult our dentist today.
