The Importance of Proper Baby Tooth care

December 23rd, 2007 by admin

Baby tooth care is extremely important. Every parent wants to do what’s best for their child – for their happiness, health and well being. This includes baby tooth care, from the appearance of the very first tooth.

For new parents, it is important to be well informed about your child’s tooth care. Your baby’s first teeth set the groundwork for their adult teeth. Healthy gums are imperative for healthy adult teeth.

Baby’s first teeth usually arrive at six months. However, they can appear as early as four months or as late as a year. During the teething period, which can last for months, baby may seem irritable and uncomfortable.

Check with your doctor that there are no other medical problems, and if not, you can help soothe baby’s discomfort with various teething gels, available from your local drugstore. Teething babies also find relief by biting down on teething toys or rusks, creating pressure on the painful areas. It can also help to give baby something cold to bite on, such as a stick of cucumber from the refrigerator. Make sure to only give baby appropriate foods for his or her age.

The most important aspect of baby tooth care is, of course, brushing. It is important to brush baby’s teeth as soon as they appear. Buy a small, soft toothbrush that is suitable for infants, wet it with a little water or fluoride-free toothpaste and brush baby’s tooth once a day if possible. In the early stages of your baby tooth care routine, when your baby is still very young, you do not need to worry about a strict regimen.

But by the time they have their full set of teeth, by the age of eighteen months or so, you will need to make sure to brush baby’s teeth every day, especially because baby will be eating a full variety of food by this age.

Until the approximate age of four years, continue to use fluoride-free toothpaste. Toddlers and infants are not able to spit toothpaste into the sink, and it is not healthy for young children to consume the large amounts of fluoride found in toothpaste.

As your child grows older, the routines you created for the phase of baby tooth care will need to give way to new habits that are suitable for an older child. By the age of three or so, it is important to create a teeth-cleaning routine that includes brushing twice a day. From the age of four and up, flossing can be introduced to the routine. Many children resist brushing their teeth, as they find it a bothersome chore. Try to encourage positive associations with brushing – make a game of it or give special treats as incentives (not candy or other sweets that are bad for the teeth).

You can consult your dentist for more advice about baby tooth care. It is not necessary to take your child to the dentist until about the age of three, when he or she has developed the capacity to sit still and co-operate with the dentist. Find a dentist whose manner is appropriate for children. If your child feels comfortable with the dentist, this will create positive associations for future experiences at the dentist.

When approaching the subject of baby tooth care, remember the most important rules: brush regularly, choose a good dentist, and feed your baby healthy foods that are low in sugar. Prevention is the best way to ensure your baby has healthy, strong teeth.