Early Childhood Oral Care

It’s always smart to start good habits early and this principle applies to your child’s oral care. Even before your child cuts his first teeth, you can already launch into simple oral hygiene for him.

With a soft gauze or washcloth, clean his gums to get rid of milk residue.

Doing this way before teeth start developing will familiarize him with the “routine” and it will ease him better into tooth brushing.

And speaking of toothbrushing for the little one, you need to start doing it for him when the first tooth appears.

You need to ensure the health of the first tooth because its condition will have an impact on the health of his other teeth, which are still to come out.

Brushing should be done twice a day, once in the morning and once before his bedtime.

Make sure that you use a very soft baby toothbrush that’s just the right size for his small mouth and that you can hold securely. Also, use a teeny-tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste should the dentist recommend it, to aid with cleaning and to strengthen his tooth.

When brushing his teeth, gums and tongue, make sure you do it gently; this isn’t only so you can effectively get rid of bacteria but also to make the experience not too stressful for him. Some babies may put up a fight due to the discomfort created by the activity. Use a light hand when brushing to make your child feel more comfortable and eventually get used to it.

To aid with tooth brushing, do have your baby drink water after meals or even after drinking milk.

Drinking water always helps in washing away bacteria in the mouth and even dislodging food particles.

And lastly, take your baby to the dentist when he cuts his first tooth which typically happens anywhere between six and eight months old.

You can expect his first visit appointment with the dentist to be very informative. Our pediatric dentists will discuss risk factors for your child’s oral health. You’ll be provided with instructions on proper oral care based on what your baby’s needs are, including what foods to eat for proper teeth development and what foods cause tooth decay in babies. The dentist may also apply fluoride varnish to protect the little one’s teeth especially if brushing is rather challenging.

Early childhood oral care will set a good foundation for your child; go about it diligently and secure the little one’s dental health by scheduling an appointment with us today.