Infant Oral Care Tips

7 Tips for Effective Infant Oral Care

Taking care of baby teeth can be very challenging for parents. The little ones don’t enjoy the activity and, typically, would fuss greatly. When they’re resolved to be difficult, it’s simply impossible to do infant oral care right.

So what can you do as a parent in order to perform effective infant oral care? A Northern California pediatric dentist shares some tips below that will help you address your baby’s aversion to oral care and, at the same time, make it an easier task to accomplish:

Don’t share food with your child. You may not know this, but tooth decay-causing bacteria don’t exist in your child’s mouth — he’ll only get it through you if you like to share your food and utensils with him. So, avoid drinking from the same bottle, sharing lollies or spoons, or biting from the same food.
When your child gets thirsty at night, just give him water instead of milk. Water doesn’t leave any type of residue that can damage teeth and it’s also free of acids.
Take your child to the dentist for his first oral exam after he cuts his first tooth. The goals of the first trip to the dentist are risk assessment, education and referrals; all these cover how you can effectively care for your child’s teeth so that common dental woes can be avoided.
Encourage your child to drink more water, especially after taking milk or meals. Water can control bacteria growth, and along with this, it can effectively wash away food debris.
During your child’s first year, you should already be practicing some form of oral care for him. Even if he doesn’t have any teeth yet, make sure to clean his gums at least twice a day to prevent bacteria and food build-up. Just use soft damp gauze — wrap it around your clean index finger and carefully wipe your baby’s gums and tongue.
Make sure to invest in the right oral care products. When your child starts teething, invest in the right oral care products so his initial experience with brushing won’t be too uncomfortable; this is proven advice from a pediatric dentist in Elk Grove, Ca.
Make it fun for the little one so he doesn’t associate the task with discomfort. Add elements of play and use music when their mouths need to be cleaned.

There you go — seven tips for properly caring for your infant’s young gums and teeth. If you carry out these tips consistently, you can set a good foundation for your child’s oral health.

See you on the flip side!