Your bundle of joy has been growing strong since day one and you’re now at that stage when they are cutting their first teeth. It’s an exciting time for you as a parent as well as your infant. Of course, this first set of baby teeth is not permanent, over time they’ll get replaced by permanent teeth.
However, the success of your baby’s permanent teeth largely depends on how well you take care of this first set.
To ensure that your baby’s teeth get the best care, here are some practical tips:
A Clean Mouth Is The Perfect Foundation
The first thing you need to do in laying a strong foundation for your infant’s teeth development is to regularly clean out their mouth.
After each feeding wipe their gums off with a wet wash cloth. Alternatively, you could choose to wrap a dampened piece of gauze and use it for cleaning.
There are also thimble-like devices made from soft rubber that you could fit on your finger and use to rub the food off the gums.
Take Care of Erupting Teeth From The First Day
As mentioned earlier, a baby’s first set of teeth lay a foundation for permanent teeth. Because of this, you’ll need to start taking care of them right away. When the first set of teeth grows one thing they achieve is that they preserve the spacing needed for permanent teeth. They also help the baby to talk and chew.
When a baby’s teeth are not well taken care of it can lead to decay as well as gum infections. One such infection is gingivitis and can have a negative impact on how your baby’s teeth are spaced out.
Avoid Anything That Leads To Cavities
Safeguard your infant’s teeth by keeping them away from anything that might lead to the detriment of their dental hygiene. It is quite common across the United States to have parents give their baby’s milk formula as a bedtime snack. However, this is ill advised.
Whether you prefer to give your baby juice before putting them to bed or some milk formula in a bottle for them to nurse, it’s all the same. It’s bad news for your baby’s teeth.
Juices and milk formula contain high levels of sugar which if not checked, can lead to cavities. Instead, give them a warm bottle of water and avoid any sugary stuff.
Start Using Toothpaste at Age 2
When your child is 2 years of age it’s time to get them started on toothpaste. When starting you shouldn’t use a generous amount, a small smear should be enough. Be sure to use fluoride toothpaste and ensure that you brush your baby’s teeth twice a day.
Control Your Child’s Fluoride Intake
It’s your responsibility to ensure that your baby is getting sufficient fluoride. There are numerous sources of fluoride including tap water, fluoride supplements as well as toothpaste. If your child isn’t old enough to start using toothpaste yet, the other two sources are sufficient.
We are the Raleigh pediatric dentistry of choice if you’d like to know more on how to take care of your baby’s teeth do get in touch.