It is very important to make sure that your child has a healthy set of teeth and continues to have so in the future. Oral health and pediatric dental care is very important and it also makes sure that the overall health of a child is in top notch condition as well.
There are often a lot of questions from parents who are bewildered about how to care for their child’s teeth. When should they be possibly scheduling their child’s first visit to the dentist if their 3-year-old should be flossing, there are a lot of queries that have been troubling most parents. Also, most parents fail to figure out if their child needs braces or not. This decision is so precious that it can literally save their child’s teeth from getting misaligned in the future.
Even if parents care a lot about their child’s precious teeth, they often don’t know of the best ways to do so. To make things easier for the parents, here are the top tips to follow in order to keep their children’s teeth healthy.
When should your kid start brushing his or her teeth?
Even before a baby’s first tooth appears, you can do your part to make sure that they grow healthy. Good dental care begins then and there. The teeth are actually there under the gum surface. Also, babies have 20 primary teeth at birth, most of which are fully developed under the gum surface, in the jaw.
- It is important to use a clean and damp washcloth over your baby’s gums to make sure that no bacteria gets to reside there.
- Use an infant toothbrush once your baby has teeth. Use fluoride-based toothpaste and use a very tiny bit of it, almost about the size of a grain of rice.
- Once your baby’s teeth have emerged, you can slowly and gently start flossing between them.
- Once your child is near about or of 2 years of age, he or she should know how to spit out the toothpaste while brushing. Also, do not give water to your child to swish and spit as it makes swallowing the toothpaste more likely.
- Only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste should be used by children who are of 3 years of age or above.
- If a child is under 8 years of age, make sure that he or she does not swallow the toothpaste.
A thing to note is that even babies can develop tooth decay and it is more common than you might think. Many parents put their baby to sleep with a bottle in their mouth. Although, this practise might be convenient, it is very likely to erode your baby’s teeth. The sugars from milk can slowly decay your child’s teeth and cause what is known as a bottle mouth.
When should your kid visit the dentist?
It is very important that your kid visits the dentist for the regular pediatric dental care, by his or her first birthday or quite early on. This helps spot problems and takes care of them if they are there and also, takes away the fear of visiting the dentist as they grow up. Dental checkups are of paramount importance and are a great habit as well, so inculcate this great habit in them. The proper way to brush and floss are also explained which makes it easier for you to care for your child’s teeth and prevent the chances of making a grave mistake in doing so.
How to keep cavities away?
- Develop great oral habits early on. Inculcate the habit of flossing and brushing the teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Get a good amount of fluoride supplements. Fluoride keeps the enamel strong. But, do not overdo it as it can cause the teeth to get discoloured as well when used in excessive amounts. Consult the dentist for the right amount of supplements.
- Limiting or completely avoiding certain foods like sugary juices and candy can help in keeping your child’s oral health in a good condition and keeping cavities at bay.
Aesthetica Dental Clinic in Kolkata is the best dental hospital in Kolkata that takes care of your child’s teeth in the same way as you care for their beautiful smiles.
