Many people feel tempted to ignore or place far less importance on their children’s baby teeth. Truth is, this set of teeth deserves as much care as grownup, or permanent, teeth. For proper care of your baby’s teeth, consider doing the following:
Plan and prepare ahead
Even before the primary teeth come in, you’ll need to have your plan in place. Even when your kids are babies, proper oral hygiene is still very important.
Wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, damp washcloth. Massage the gums gently to clean and enhance proper growth.
When the teeth eventually show up, it’s very important to start proper care right away. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring the care of these little teeth as people often do.
Be prepared to tackle cavities
Minor pitting as well as discoloration are two common signs of cavities in baby teeth. This is usually caused by food particles getting stuck in the teeth.
It’s common for babies to fall sleep with bottles still in their mouths. Once you notice your baby has stopped feeding, take away the bottle immediately. Or, even better, try to never put your baby to bed with a bottle.
Start with a toothpaste when they turn 2
Two-year-olds’ teeth are big enough for brushing. You should consider getting them baby toothpaste so you can start brushing those tiny teeth right away. Just like you do for your teeth, brush them twice a day too.
Regulate their fluoride intake
Babies also need fluoride as it has great benefits for protecting their teeth. You may need to talk to your dentist about getting the right supplements as well as regulating the amount of fluoride intake ideal for your baby.
Visit your dentist regularly
The sooner you start normalizing visits to the dentist, the easier future dental visits with your child will be. Your baby will also need thorough dental checkups every six months just like adults do. This helps to ensure proper baby teeth care and overall oral health.
For more information on caring for baby teeth as well as on general dental health, call us today at 970-221-5155.
Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:
970-221-5115
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526
