As parents, we always want to do the best for our children. We are always on the lookout to keep our precious pearls happy and smiling. To all those parents worried about their baby’s overall health and happiness, here are some beginner steps to start caring for their mouths.
Teeth start developing in a baby’s jaw bones even before birth. In most cases, they are present inside their gums during the first few months of their life. And the first bacteria in the mouth of a baby are known to appear as early as an hour after the child’s birth. You can start caring for your baby’s teeth even before they appear in their mouth.
The First Step:
The first step in caring for your baby’s mouth would be breastfeeding. Underlining the importance of breastfeeding, the mother’s milk is the best source of nutrition for a baby. It doesn’t have any artificial sweeteners to cause harm to the baby’s mouth and teeth.
Cleaning their gums with a soft wet cloth or a gauze after every feed would be an important step to ensure healthy oral practices from the beginning.
Under any circumstances, if a baby is fed with formula milk, then the need for cleaning becomes utmost preliminary. It will make sure that their mouth doesn’t increasingly become a breeding ground for decay-causing bacterial growth after the feed.
Massage their gums with your index finger covered in a soft cloth. It will stimulate the eruption of teeth and also soothe them from teething irritation.
When Does it Happen?
The first teeth of the baby erupt at 6 to 7 months of age.
At this age, you can start using a finger brush to clean it. The use of toothpaste in young babies is not recommended as their teeth and gums are fragile and sensitive respectively.
Their teeth can be brushed with soft-bristled toothbrush and water.
When teeth are erupting. It may cause discomfort and pain in your baby’s jaws.
You can ease their pain of eruption by massaging the gums with ice or any.
After the eruption of milk teeth in a baby, don’t let them sleep with a bottle in his/her mouth during night times. Leaving a milk bottle (or still worse juice bottle or other sweetened drinks) in a baby’s mouth increases the bacterial growth in their mouth and may lead to the formation of cavities in their teeth.
Baby teeth are as important as permanent teeth for everyone. If baby teeth cavities are left unattended then it can also damage the upcoming permanent teeth below them.
If baby teeth have fallen early due to cavities or other reasons. Then there will be no space left for the upcoming permanent teeth which lead to disorganized permanent teeth that need orthodontic correction called braces.
When should I consult a Dentist?
Consult a dentist at the very first sign of discolouration on any teeth of the baby. Even in the absence of any cavities, the recommended age for the first dental visit for a baby, according to the ADA – American Dental Association, is before your child’s first year or at the time of eruption of his/her first tooth.
A professional look at your baby’s teeth from an early age can help prevent any unnecessary harm to the baby’s teeth.
It will also inculcate good oral habits for their lifetime.
Babies always impersonate adults. As parents, keeping your teeth in good condition and getting a routine oral health checkup will give babies a good example to follow.
To know more about pediatric dentistry facts, click this link!
If you would like to know about protecting your child’s jaws from sports injuries, click here!
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For more information, you can contact Top Notch Dental Clinic team and seek their valuable advice on the same.