Some parents wonder whether they should take utmost care of the milk teeth of their toddlers, since they fall off after few years. The truth is that parents should not even wait for the teeth to emerge before they start taking care of oral hygiene in their children.
Expectant mothers in the second half of their pregnancy or nursing women who take tetracycline, a common antibiotic, or can cause tooth discoloration in children. So, knowing about oral care of children is very important for better health and appearance of your child even before they are born.
During Bottle Feeding
Oral hygiene does not mean just brushing and cleaning the teeth. For infants you should see to it that they do not suffer from fluoride deficiency or baby bottle decay which is caused due to over consumption of sugary liquids.
Some municipal water supply may not contain enough fluoride content for the healthy development of teeth in your baby. Check out the fluoride content in water which you use for daily consumption. It is important to note that bottled water lacks fluoride in them.
If there is deficient amount of fluoride in water, consult your paediatrician or dentist to know more about fluoride supplement for your baby. In contemporary medical science, it is easy to find drops that supplement fluoride for healthy development of teeth in your baby. Make sure that your baby does not get an overdose of fluoride which is safe for your child.
Many children prefer having a bottle of milk or juice in their mouths as they go off to sleep. Liquids with sugar tend to gather around the teeth which gives birth to bacteria forming acids, leading to cavities in future. The healthy habit would be to feed baby with water or giving a pacifier as they doze off, rather than giving them fruit juice or milk formula.
Caring for Milk Teeth
Though milk teeth eventually fall off, they need proper cleaning so that they do not get damaged or infect the gums. When they are not taken care of, they can lead to cavities, which can be troublesome and painful to toddlers. Moreover, damaged teeth can steal the beauty of your child’s smile.
As the milk teeth start emerging, make it a habit to clean it with a soft toothbrush, with just a little bit of toothpaste twice every day. Make sure you keep your child’s mouth completely clean to prevent bad breath being caused by bacteria that breeds there.
Do not allow your child to swallow toothpaste. Teach your child to rinse mouth before you introduce toothpaste. Until then, you can use something safe for brushing teeth. Floss right after you brush teeth of your toddler because flossing can pull down fluoride between the teeth which is tough to reach. Fluoride is good for developing teeth since it strengthens tooth enamel, increasing teeth’s resistance to harmful bacteria, thus preventing cavities and tooth decay.
Introduce your toddler to healthy oral habits now for prevention of dental trauma in later years. Also, make sure they visit dentist regularly to prevent problems before they cause permanent damage to the teeth.
Let the beauty of your child’s smile brighten your day.
