Preventing Tooth Decay and How to Provide the Best Dental Care for Your Baby
Even before the development of milk teeth, clean your child’s gum regularly. Your child’s milk teeth will set the permanent teeth position in their gums. Properly positioned and spread out teeth in their mouth will ensure that they can chew and speak properly.
Here are tips from dentists at Dentistry by Sea Bridge on how best you can provide dental and oral care to your baby.
Early Childhood Cavities
After developing their milk teeth between the age of 6 months and six years, your child is likely to have tooth decay. Choose a pediatric dentist near you and make your child have regular dental care checkups.
Regular flossing and brushing of teeth in the morning and before bedtime will reduce the risk of bacterial infection and prevent the formation of plaque.
Have your child cavities treated on time since they can lead to infection and pain or to an extent which they can harm the permanent tooth underneath the milk teeth.
Causes of Tooth Decay
There are several reasons why your child might develop a tooth cavity on their milk teeth. Some of them include.
- Failure to brush and floss your child’s teeth regularly
- Regular eating of snacks that are sticky and sugary
- Feeding your child using a baby bottle containing sugary beverages and formula, particularly before bedtime or letting your child sleep with the sipping bottle on their mouth.
- Transfer of cavity, making bacteria from your mouth to your child’s mouth via saliva, can result in tooth decay. This will likely happen if you are feeding your child with the spoon that has been into your mouth, sharing toothbrushes, or licking pacifiers to clean.
- According to the kids’ dental care in Oxnard, CA intake of too much sugar in your child’s mouth without brushing will result in the sugar and the bacteria in the mouth mixing forming acid. The acid will then attack the enamel forming cavities.
How to Avoid Tooth Decay?
Provide Water Between Feedings
Introduce this to your child using a lidless cup when they at the age of 6 to 9 months.
Proper Dental Care
Set up your child’s oral cleaning routine. Before the milk teeth clean their gums using a baby’s toothbrush or a wet face cloth. At the onset of the milk teeth, use a soft brush and rice-sized fluoride toothpaste to clean your child’s teeth after breakfast and before bedtime.
After they turn three years, the size of the toothpaste should be pea-sized. These small amounts of fluoride toothpaste are effective and safe for your child’s oral hygiene.
Check your child’s mouth daily by lifting their lip to look at the gum lines. Look out for any brown or white patches; these are early tooth decay signs. If you detect any of these signs, consult the children’s dentistry center near you.
Use of Soothers
Soothers are given to children for various reasons. They are not recommended to be used after your child’s teeth set in. Pacifiers might affect your child’s speech.
If you have to use a pacifier,there are several steps that you need to follow to ensure they are not affecting your child’s dental hygiene. They include:
- Avoid immersing the nipple in sweet substances the can lead to decay
- If the soother is worn out, that is, cracked or sticky, get a new one
- At the age of 1 to 2 years, limit the use of the soothers to nap time
- Ensure the soother used is sized for your child’s mouth
- Establish a strong breastfeeding routine
When Your Child is Teething
Children start teething at different times. Most begin when they are about six months old. The front lower teeth are the first set to develop, followed by the upper front teeth. Teething is uncomfortable and makes them fussy. During this period, get your child a clean teething toy or ring for them to chew.
Avoid giving your child teething biscuits because they stick in their teeth and can lead to tooth decay. Before using any teething gels or items, consult a pediatric dentist.
If any dental problems occur, ensure you take your kid to a pediatric dentist early for diagnosis and treatment.