Brushing your baby’s teeth immediately they erupt will start a habit that translates to everlasting healthy teeth.
Babies teethe between six to twelve months of age and develop twenty teeth before reaching age 3.
Taking proper care of your baby’s teeth has to start immediately when they are visible in the mouth. This allows you to prevent tooth decay before it starts.
Why Baby Teeth are Important
Baby teeth (aka primary teeth), assist babies in chewing food. However, they also help your baby form sounds and words for speaking. Properly brushing them daily with the right substances minimizes the bacterial plaque which builds up on teeth every day, stopping the tooth decay and loss.
Your baby’s teeth are also vital space-holders within the jaw, before the arrival of your baby’s permanent teeth.
In case they fall out permanently or develop decay, your child might suffer inappropriate development and eruption in the second set of teeth which are meant to last them into adulthood.
Early childhood caries, or cavities in your baby teeth, also need treatments. It may be an uncomfortable process for your baby, so minimize the likelihood of further problems with proper dental hygiene.
The best action to take is to brush your child’s teeth daily. And also reduce his/her intake of different fermented sugars, like juices and milk.
To assist your baby cope with any kind of teeth discomfort, try out the following:
- Rubbing their gums with your finger
- Having your child suck on a small spoon or cool teething ring.
- Administering a baby-appropriate pain reliever.
- Apply proper moist gauze square to your baby’s gums.
How to properly brush your baby teeth
Brushing your child’s teeth should start at the gums. Carefully wipe them with a moistened gauze or wet washcloth. Baby’s teeth do not require a toothbrush; it is too early for that.
Wiping the gums of the presently erupting baby teeth is enough to distort the most adamant plaque. Brush your baby’s gums or teeth twice every day, specifically after eating and before going to bed.
As soon as the baby’s teeth have successfully erupted, you can introduce the right toothbrush. The appropriate toothbrush should be:
- Soft
- Small-headed
- Wide-handled
For babies younger than three, it is recommended you use only a smear of fluoride toothpaste on the toothbrush. Limit the amount of fluoride toothpaste when your baby is between 3 to 6 years of age. It should be reduced into a pea-sized portion in order to avoid too much exposure.
In case you desire fluoride-free toothpaste, you can check online for “fluoride toothpaste which is safe to swallow,” and also come in fun flavours to make the entire experience better.
Final Remark
After your baby’s first birthday, schedule a meeting with a dentist. As your child grows, caring about his/her dental health and how to properly brush their teeth is as vital as their general health.
A healthy mouth which allows for appropriate teeth and jaw development will lead to a lifetime of healthy and happy smiles.
