Caring For Your Child’s Teeth: Essential Points You Should Know

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It is rightly said that the life of a woman changes after entering into motherhood. And the same is equally true for men also. Their responsibilities multiply manifold s after having a child. They both have to look after the needs of their child and care for them.

Parents have to ensure the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their children. By getting a favorable family atmosphere and a sound value system, the mental growth of a child is ensured.

The challenging part is to ensure his/her physical development. Parents have to develop ways to keep their children healthy. While ensuring the physical well-being of the child, dental health (oral health) must be given due attention too.

Care for your child’s teeth is a very important task and must be executed effectively. Teeth care is needed at all ages when the child is having only milk teeth, a mix of milk and permanent teeth, or all permanent teeth.

You need to understand and remember some basic points that should be paid attention to while caring for his/her teeth:-

1. Special Care for both Milk and Permanent Teeth

It is a fact that the milk teeth will fall out and will be replaced by permanent teeth. But tooth decay is a major threat to your little one’s teeth.

If a milk tooth falls because of tooth decay, it hampers the growth of permanent teeth there. So, tooth decay must be prevented at all costs.

Parents must ensure that the child gargles after each feed/ after every meal. Brushing twice a day remains the golden rule to be followed.

2. Caring for the Gums

Start caring for your child’s dental health even before the teeth starts growing. Take care of the child’s gums by wiping them with a clean wet washcloth or using an infant thimble to brush his/ her gums.

Proper gum care will help teeth grow better without any problem.

3. Be very Careful about Pacifiers and Thumb Sucking

If you are using a pacifier to quiet your child, just make sure you don’t coat honey, sugar or any sweet thing around it. Clean them at short intervals and define a limit for using them.

If the child is in a habit of thumb-sucking, just ensure his hands are clean. And take out the thumb frequently.

3. Tell them How to Brush

As soon as a child has a milk tooth, it is the right time to tell them how to brush. Guide them and give a helping hand to show how to brush the whole teeth set.

Use a right-sized brush appropriate according to their age.

4. Ensure the right intake of Food by Them

Intake of sugary foods like candies, chocolates, ice cream, cakes, and soft drinks increases the chances of cavity building in a child’s teeth.

Parents must control the intake of such foods by their child them. You should encourage them to eat green veggies, fruits, and whole grains-based foods.

5. Fix a Dental Check-up right from the age of 6 Months

Find out a good dentist for your child and start visiting him as soon as your child turns six months. The dental expert will resolve all your queries about the type of foods to be given to the child and the ways to keep his/her mouth healthy.

Along with the teeth, the tongue of the child must be cleaned with a clean cloth when he is too young. Later on, you can suggest using a tongue cleaner for him.

Your dental expert may even suggest flossing for your child. But flossing must be carried out very carefully and it is only recommended for grown-up children.

6. Educate them about Dental Health

Read out stories, show videos, and short movies that tell about tooth problems and the ways to protect them. This will engage your child and they will more practically care about their mouth and teeth.

Educate them that dental care is important for their overall health also.

7. Tell them about Mouth Safety

Children generally play a variety of sports and do a lot of adventurous activities such as swimming, skating, boxing, taekwondo, karate, etc.

These have a high risk of their mouth or teeth or jawline being injured.

Parents must tell their children about the safety measures they should take to safeguard their mouths and teeth.

8. Make Dental care Enjoyable for them

You can do the following things to make dental care enjoyable for your child-

1. Tell them to choose the toothbrush of their choice with their favorite cartoon on it.

2. Help them pick the toothpaste of their choice.

3. Reward them for their good oral practices.

4. Brush together with them.

5. Sing a song about teeth.

6. Let them enjoy the visit to the dental clinic.

9. Follow the Same Rules

A child will follow you automatically if they find you doing the same. So, whatever rules you set for their dental care routine, you should also follow the same.

This way you can build a strong environment for dental care at your home.

10. Ensure Overall Health and Fitness

You should also watch out for some symptoms in the children such as –

-Teeth Grinding

– Inability to speak

– Any pain or swelling in the mouth

-Inability to chew food

-If the milk teeth don’t fall or permanent teeth don’t grow after a long time.

Make a quick search on your smartphone for as best dentist near me. Make your child familiar with your dentist and visit him as soon as you observe any abnormality.

Besides all the above-discussed points, parents must ensure the overall health of their children by walking, jogging, playing outdoors, or doing yoga with them. This will bring about good oral health too.