Oral Health

Healthy Living: Maintaining Good Oral Health for Toddlers and Infants

Dental care is vital to everyone if we want to maintain good health. For children, dental care is more challenging. 

Ideally, when a child is born, the teeth are already in the jawbone. According to specialists at Brentwood children’s dentistry, you should start practicing oral care for your child before the first teeth appear. But that requires a lot of care on your side. Here we have compiled some tips you can apply to maintain good dental care for your child.

Clean the Baby’s Mouth 

Always make it a habit to clean your child’s mouth every day, even before the teeth start growing. 

You should wipe off the gums each time after feeding them. When two of the baby’s teeth show, you should start flossing.

Here are the tips for cleaning your baby’s teeth:

  • It is important to clean the baby’s mouth at least twice daily or after every feeding. Put the baby in a comfortable position where you can easily see inside the mouth.
  • Get a clean, soft cloth over your finger. Dip the cloth in warm water, so it is damp, but don’t soak it wet. Wipe the baby’s teeth and gums gently.
  • Start cleaning the child’s teeth with a small soft toothbrush. Brush by placing the toothbrush bristles at an angle along the row of the teeth and against the gum line. 
  • Finish cleaning your child’s teeth by brushing the tongue using the toothbrush.
  • As soon as you notice the first tooth growing, you should begin using fluoride-rich toothpaste. Use grain-size toothpaste if the child is younger than three years.

Avoid Feeding Sugary Food when Sleeping

Foods with refined sugar and fruit juice are not good for your baby when teething. Avoid feeding your baby with a bottle of juice or formulated milk if they are just about to sleep. Fluids with a lot of sugar will stick to the baby’s teeth and cause tooth decay. 

When your baby is about to sleep, you can give them a bottle filled with water. You should as well keep the pacifier away. A pacifier can change the shape of the baby’s teeth.

Limit Sweet Medicines

Anything with sugar is a risk to your child’s teeth development including sweet medicines. In most cases, a child’s medicine is sugary. When the sugars in the child’s medicine stick to the teeth, it increases the chances of cavities and tooth decay. 

Most children taking drugs for chronic illness like heart problems and asthma are more vulnerable to tooth decay. Therefore, you should talk to Brentwood children’s dentistry if your child takes long-term medication. Always keep checking on sweet medicines to prevent tooth decay and cavities.

Final Thoughts 

Maintaining dental care for your child involves a lot. Wash your child’s mouth and teeth after feeding, and avoid sugary foods like sweets. Lastly, you should not forget to take your child for a dental regular check-up when the first set of teeth grows.

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