Baby’s oral hygiene
Even when your baby is only one or two months old, his mouth and gums should be kept clean. The mother can clean the baby’s mouth with soft and wet tissue every day. Remember that if you do not take care of your child’s oral health, the possibility of having problem teeth in the future is very high. In this article, we intend to tell you some small but important points regarding oral and dental hygiene for babies.
Baby’s oral hygiene
In this regard, it is necessary to pay attention to several points:
- Hold the baby while feeding. Never put the baby in bed with a bottle to mouth.
- If your child is used to sucking the pacifier, make sure it is clean and dry. Never dip the baby’s pacifier in honey, jam, or nectar, because the baby may like the taste of sweets and be attracted to excessive eating of sweet foods later when he teeth.
If the baby is breastfed, the mother should wash her nipple with soap and water every time before feeding.
Baby teeth
- The first teeth that children erupt are usually the front teeth in the bottom row. These teeth appear at the age of 6 to 9 months.
- The upper teeth of the front row erupt about 2 to 3 months later, and the four side teeth of the front erupt by one year of age.
- In most children, canines and molars erupt simultaneously at 16-18 months.
- The back molars erupt around 2 years of age.
- All children have about 20 milk teeth at two and a half years old.
Caring for children’s teeth
Some children get their teeth without the slightest discomfort and pain, while others experience severe pain, burning, and itching of the gums and watery mouth. There are many ways to reduce the discomfort caused by teething in children. Including, using medical toothpicks, and gels that tighten the gums, chewing hard fruits such as carrots and cucumbers, and chewing thin dry bread. In this regard, pay attention to the following points:
- Do not give foods that have a lot of sugar to the child because they cause decay and damage to the child’s new teeth and lead the child’s mouth to sweets.
- Limit the number of times a child eats sugary foods.
- Give your child juice and drinks that contain sugar only during meals.
- Wash the baby’s new teeth and gums with a soft and small toothbrush. Brush your teeth in front of the child.
- Giving chocolates and sweets to a child after meals is less damaging to the child’s teeth and gums than giving them between meals.
- Sugary substances, foods, and drinks that contain sugar, if they stay on the walls of the child’s teeth for a while, can cause the child’s teeth to turn black and decay. For this reason, it is recommended that the child does not drink milk from a bottle for a long time because his teeth are in contact with sugary substances for a long time.
- When giving a reward to a child, it is better to give them colored pencils, crayons, drawing books, coloring books, and doll stickers instead of biscuits, candies, and sweet cookies. Maybe these devices are a bit more expensive, but their benefits will be more in the long run.
- Do not give the child sweet juices, especially in bottles, while sleeping. If necessary, you can give the baby milk and then some water to wash his mouth and teeth.
Teeth brushing
One of the most important ways to maintain oral hygiene in children is brushing.
- Early brushing will keep the teeth and gums of the child healthy. Prepare a soft, narrow, and small toothbrush for the child along with toothpaste with a mild fluoride taste. In the beginning, brush your child’s toothbrush yourself and after a while give the toothbrush to him to brush his teeth. Do your brushing in front of your child so that he learns how to brush his teeth by watching you and considers brushing a part of his daily hygiene routine. It’s good for you too.
- As long as you feel that children have not learned to brush their teeth well, do this for them even those up to 5-6 years old.
- The best way to brush your child’s teeth is to sit him on your lap. Hold his head up. Apply some toothpaste to the toothbrush. Brush his teeth from top to bottom for the top row teeth and from bottom to top for the bottom row teeth. If the child is too small to accept the toothbrush, you can clean his teeth and gums with a soft, wet cloth soaked in fluoride or toothpaste.
