12 Oct Dental Care For Babies And Toddlers
Dental care begins very early in a person’s life. Many people don’t consider dental care for a child, a baby, without any teeth, but it’s important for babies too. Starting your child off right with quality dental care will not only help with the preventative care that so many children need to ward off cavities and other dental problems, but, also, starting a child off the right way, to promote lasting, quality oral habits that hopefully the child will continue to carry through into adulthood.
Babies and Toddlers
A baby can have plaque. And when plaque is left in the mouth, uncleaned, it can harm the baby’s first teeth, possibly even causing tooth decay. To start cleaning a baby’s mouth, use a soft washcloth, dampened, and rub, gently, over the baby’s gums. Continue doing this until the child’s teeth have come in (this can occur any time after six months, taking sometimes one year), and, when the baby has teeth, begin to brush the teeth with a baby-sized toothbrush, using a very small bit of toothpaste in an amount comparable to a grain of rice.
The toothpaste should be something marketed for very young children (any questions about this make sure to ask your dentist before you use the product) and to be free of fluoride, because the baby will not be able to spit out the toothpaste. Continue to help the child brush until he or she is able to clean their own teeth. Continue using the children’s toothpastes without fluoride, until the child has mastered spitting out the toothpaste.
Fluoride toothpastes and flossing
Once a child can brush his or her teeth well, and is spitting out all of the toothpaste, change the toothpaste to something with fluoride (if you have any questions as to which toothpaste would work best, again, call your dentist), and use an amount comparable to the size of a pea. Also, once two of the child’s teeth are touching, you can begin to floss a child’s teeth for them, progressing to giving them the responsibility.
The Dentist Office
It’s also very important to get a child in for a dental visit early. Even baby teeth can develop problems, and these problems can persist to the child’s permanent teeth even after his or her baby teeth have fallen out. Also, early visits to the dentist help to prevent a future fear of the dentist office.
Schedule an appointment today at Silvercreek Family Dentistry for all of your dental needs.
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