How to Keep Your Child’s Teeth Healthy Through Various Stages of Development

New parents face a steep learning curve, but there are plenty of professional resources to help out. Don’t forget to rely on dental professionals who can guide you through various stages of oral development and help you to maintain your child’s precious smile.

Whether your infant has just started on solid foods or you’re trying to instill healthy habits in your toddler, there are several things you can do at home to encourage optimal oral health.

Infant Products

You should start cleaning your child’s mouth before teeth even begin to erupt. It’s important to start a cleaning routine since your baby eats multiple times daily and leaving food in the mouth can encourage bacterial growth.

In order to clean your baby’s mouth, you’ll simply need a piece of clean gauze. Wash your hands, wrap the gauze around your finger, wet it under the faucet, and swipe it gently across your baby’s palate, tongue, and gums to remove buildup.

Toddler Products

Once teeth begin to erupt around six months of age, it’s time to switch up your routine to protect the teeth from harm. It’s important to preserve oral health from the get-go, as issues like early tooth decay can not only affect baby teeth, but also permanent teeth.

The Cromwell Dental team can help you select products like toothpaste and a toothbrush that are appropriate, as well as teach you proper brushing methods. To start, you should get a small, soft bristle toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste designed for toddlers. It’s okay to use fluoride toothpaste in small amounts, even if your city has a fluoridated water supply.

To begin, you’ll put only a tiny amount of toothpaste, about the size of a grain of rice, on the toothbrush, but you can increase to a pea-size amount when toddlers are old enough to learn not to swallow toothpaste.

Oral Health Tips for Kids

It is recommended that your child have a first dental visit for checkup no later than 12 months of age, and the first visit should be introductory to put your child at ease. Fun and education are the order of the day. As soon as possible, you should allow kids to brush their own teeth under your supervision so they can take control of their own oral health. If you’re worried about cavities, talk to your dentist about sealants and discuss an appropriate diet to ward off oral health issues.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or to schedule an appointment today.

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