Milk teeth help a child chew and speak. These teeth are placeholders for permanent teeth and are just as important as permanent teeth. If a child loses a milk tooth early, this can disrupt the intraoral tooth alignment and make it difficult for the permanent tooth to come in properly. With all this in mind, it is important to take good care of your teeth during infancy. Dt.Kƶkdemir explained the tips of a healthy oral care for children.
Oral care for children
– Wipe baby’s gums daily with a warm, wet cloth before they have teeth. Doing so removes sugar from the gums and can help a baby become familiar with the sensation of cleaning their teeth.
– Babies and young children should not sleep with a bottle. If milk and juice come into contact with the teeth for a long time, it can cause tooth decay.
– Once a baby is 1 year old, they should start to move away from the bottle habit.
– You can allow toddlers to drink bottled water between meals, but save juice and milk for mealtimes only.
– When a baby’s teeth erupt, brush twice a day with a soft baby toothbrush. You can use a small amount of toothpaste no larger than a grain of rice. Children ages 3 to 6 can use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
– Parents or caregivers should take over this role until the child can start brushing their teeth without assistance.
– Keep toothpaste out of reach of children when not in use.
– Have children examined by the dentist within 6 months from the emergence of their first teeth.
– Parents and caregivers should not put children’s spoons and pacifiers in their mouths.