Knowing that a child’s baby teeth will eventually fall out often gives some parents a false sense of security that they do not need to care proactively for a child’s baby teeth as much as adult teeth. A child’s baby teeth are just as important to care for as permanent teeth, as baby teeth guide adult teeth into place. Baby teeth also help your child develop proper chewing and speaking habits. Here are some tips to help support proper oral hygiene for the whole family.
- Taking care of your child’s dental health starts even before the first tooth appears. You can use a gum massager, or even a clean washcloth to wipe the gums of your baby. Once your child’s first tooth appears, brush it with a soft-bristled toothbrush and water or “training” toothpaste twice a day. As your kids grow old enough to take instructions, show your kids how to brush on their own until they got the hang of it. If they insist on brushing on their own before they’re brushing sufficiently, let them, but make sure to brush their teeth the second time around.
- In addition to proper brushing habits, teach your kids at an early age to floss.
- Teach your kids healthy eating habits. Don’t allow excessive consumption of sweets.
- Take your kids to the dentist regularly. A child’s first dentist visit should be around age 1, or when they get their first tooth. Afterwards, kids need bi-annual dental checkups just like you do.
- Moms can anticipate that kids will start to lose their baby teeth around the age of 6.
Again, baby teeth will help guide permanent teeth into place. How you manage your kid’s oral hygiene now will have a long-lasting effect on their pearly whites into adulthood.