It is vital to take the dental health of babies and toddlers seriously, as cavities, also known as tooth decay, is one of the chronic childhood diseases in the United States. There are any other dental problems that affect your little ones.
Cavities can cause infections and pain, affecting the toddler’s speaking, eating, learning, and playing.
Also, statistics have shown that children with poor oral health, miss school more often and receive lower grades than children who don’t.
So in this article, we will look at the best dental health advice for babies and toddlers.
Dental Health Advice For Babies And Toddlers
We will look at dental health advice for babies and toddlers separately.
For Babies:
- Use a soft clean cloth or gauze pad to wipe their gums twice a day, in the morning after the first feeding and before bed, to remove sugars and bacteria that can cause any infection. Also, you can clean the child’s gum after each meal. When doing this, place the child in a comfortable position where you can quickly see inside their mouth.
- When they start developing teeth, get a soft small‑bristled toothbrush and wash them with plain water. Place the toothbrush bristles along the teeth and against the gum line. Gently brush in a circular motion. Since the teeth are still tender, brushing back and front can hurt the baby’s gums and teeth. Also, remember to rush the tongue with the toothbrush.
- Consult our doctor about fluoride toothpaste before you use it on babies to avoid any form of complication. If you must use fluoride toothpaste, use only a size of a grain of rice.
- Visit the dentist when your baby turns a year old to detect any dental problems.
For Toddlers:
- Use fluoride toothpaste on a soft toothbrush to brush your teeth twice a day.
- Help the child brush their teeth until they learn how to brush. Ensure to observe them and that they use pea-sized toothpaste and spit out when they are done, rather than swallow it.
- You can use tap water that contains fluoride for them.
- Visit the dentist regularly for checkups. The child’s dentist can apply dental sealants when it is needed.
Other Dental Health Advice For Babies And Toddlers include:
Below are some of the other dental advice that will be helpful to the dental health of your babies and toddlers:
- Be watchful about what your child eats or drinks throughout the day. This is because the sugar in the child’s food or drink turns to acid after 20 minutes in the child’s mouth. This is why washing your child’s mouth after each meal is essential.
- Remove the breast from the baby’s mouth if they fall asleep while breastfeeding.
- Avoid night feeding and on-demand feedings when the baby’s first tooth comes up.
- Begin to wean your baby from a bottle to a cup upon their first birthday.
- Avoid using a bottle as a pacifier. Use a bottle only during feeding.
- Do not put your baby to sleep with a bottle of breast milk formula.
- Make sure you inculcate the habit of brushing their teeth twice a day to maintain proper oral hygiene.
- Fluoride toothpaste is best for babies and toddlers because it makes their teeth strong and protects them from tooth decay.
Conclusion
Priority should be given to the dental health of babies and toddlers, as dental problems at this stage can interfere with speaking, hearing, and learning. Be watchful as you put into action the above tips.
