What you Need to Know about Infant Dental Care
What you Need to Know about Infant Dental Care
Your infant’s oral hygiene is important from the very beginning. Their teeth will start to come in when they are around 6 months old. As a parent, you need to know what to expect and how to react to any dental conditions your baby may develop.
Dental care for your baby starts soon after birth. It is important to clean your babies gums from when they are a few days old. Your baby may not enjoy the cleanings at first but it is a necessary hygiene measure.
How to clean your baby’s gums:
Have your baby lie in your lap with their head near your chest so you can easily see into their mouths. Rub the gums with a clean, damp washcloth. This should be done twice a day, after breakfast and after the last meal of the day.
When the milk teeth finally arrive, brush them at least two to three times a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and water. Do not use toothpaste until your child is two years old.
As your baby grows, there is more chance that dental conditions will develop. The main dental elements you need to be aware of are teething, baby bottle tooth decay and pacifiers.
The Teething Process:
Teething occurs when your child is between 3 and 9 months, when their milk teeth start to emerge. This process can make your child restless and cause them to drool and have no appetite. To soothe the swollen and irritated gums, apply pressure to your child’s gums by gently rubbing them with a clean finger, wet gauze pad or infant gum massager. Cold teething rings are also a great tool to calm the child.
What to avoid when you child’s teeth are developing:
Frequent exposure to sugary liquids, such as baby bottle formula or fruit juice, through the constant sucking on a bottle or sleeping with a bottle can damage the child’s teeth and cause baby bottle tooth decay. The sugars in the liquid can strip away tooth enamel and cause cavities. To avoid decay, do not let your baby fall a sleep with a bottle in its mouth. They should rather suck on a bottle of water or a pacifier.
Pacifiers are a great tool to provide comfort and lull your child to sleep. In the first few years of your child’s life, sucking a pacifier or their thumb is completely normal and natural. However, when they turn 5 or 6, frequent or long term sucking can have negative effects on the positioning of their teeth and jaw bones. Pacifiers are good tools as they can be taken away when your child becomes older.
What to look for in a pacifier:
Make sure the pacifier is in one whole piece with no rips and tears when you give it to your child. Do not dip pacifiers in sweet substances, like honey, as this will contribute to tooth decay. Pacifiers should also be flexible and large enough not to be swallowed. It should have an easy grip, ventilation holes, and be made of non-toxic materials.