The tiny, pearly whites of your little one need attention, take care of them before it’s too late!
The milk teeth of your baby develop when he is inside the mothers’ womb. A full set of 20 milk teeth are found in the gums of newborns.
Baby teeth begin to appear between 6 and 10 months. In some children, they appear as early as three months, in others they will not arrive until about 12 months. The babies get their teeth at different times. Very few children have 1-2 teeth at birth.
The baby teeth can grow in any order, although the first teeth grow at the central bottom side. Often, all 20 bottom teeth will come when your child is three years old.
The 32 adult teeth replace the baby’s teeth between the ages of 6 and 20.
Even if they don’t last forever, taking care of the baby teeth is essential, and you should visit a dentist in Newport beach for your little one’s oral health.
Here are the most essential baby dental care tips you should remember as a new parent:
1. Wipe the gums
Even before the baby grows his/her first tooth, use a soft cloth or rubber finger cover to wipe the gums. This will erase excess food and make them accustomed to getting their mouths cleaned, preparing them when they use the toothbrush and floss later.
2. Limit the use of bottle during bedtime
Limit the use of bottle during bedtime. Putting milk (or worse, juice) in the bottle before going to bed can cause the teeth to decay because the sugar in the liquid stays on the teeth overnight.
3. Drinking water
Washing the baby’s mouth with water after each meal helps to remove sugar and starch from the mouth, especially in the case of most baby foods. Give your baby water after each meal to reduce the time the sugar stays on their teeth.
4. Avoid sugar
Candies, juices, and other sugary foods can erode enamel and cause cavities. Avoid giving your baby foods high in sugar and even dilute the juice to make their teeth healthy.
5. Start using a toothbrush
When your child is around two years old or already got multiple teeth, its time to start using a soft toothbrush with a pea amount of toothpaste to clean their teeth. Help him/ her learn to brush their teeth, but make sure they brush their teeth more thoroughly during practice.
6. Use fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by fighting the bacteria that cause plaque. Toothpaste with fluoride is the most effective way to clean teeth, and the American Dental Association now recommends its use on baby teeth. For children under three years old, apply a small smear of toothpaste on the toothbrush.
7. Visit the dentist
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that you bring your child to a dentist in Newport Beach within six months since their first tooth erupts. Although each child’s dental needs are different, taking care of your child’s teeth is very important as it sets the pace for lifelong oral health.
Consider the consequences
Taking care of baby teeth is as important as taking care of the adult teeth. Failure in doing so will cause permanent problems later like:
Tooth decay – Improper dental practices can make permanent teeth more prone to tooth decay.
Time-consuming and painful dental visits– When a child has multiple cavities, they must be filled at each visit because young children cannot bear extensive procedures in a single appointment. This is often difficult for parents’ schedules, and it is difficult for children to have to go through with it multiple times.
Long-term anxiety – Almost all adult patients with dental anxiety were troubled by lousy childhood experiences.
Thinking of your little one’s pearly whites is never too early. From the beginning, provide your kids with excellent oral care with the help of the dentist in Newport beach.