Babies and toddlers grow very quickly and require many appointments for checkups, some of which should be at a pediatric dentistry facility. The earlier that parents begin to look after the dental care of their child and instill good oral hygiene habits, the better. There are many reasons why caring for baby gums and teeth from an early age is so important for future oral health.
Many people might wonder why it is so important to take good care of a baby's oral hygiene when their teeth eventually fall out anyway. One reason is that even before the first teeth appear around the ages of 6 to 12 months, caring for the infant's gums has many benefits. This is because the teeth that are due to appear later rest just beneath those gums and are affected by formula, breastmilk, and other food particles consumed by the infant.
Failing to cleanse the gums, as well as getting into a habit of putting an infant to bed with a bottle, can allow sugars to accumulate in their mouth and result in the decay of their very first teeth. Tooth decay is a leading childhood disease that can make it difficult for the child to eat and learn to speak properly. In addition, if there is a loss of a baby tooth, this can lead to the permanent tooth eventually erupting in the wrong place in the mouth, causing overcrowding issues.
The type of care that you give a baby's teeth largely depends on their age since their mouths go through so much change and development in their early years.
In these early months, follow the proper procedures to care for the child's gums. Before the first teeth begin to erupt until all of the baby's teeth have grown in, gum care should be practiced daily. After each feeding, use a soft, moistened washcloth to gently wipe the baby's gums until they are clean.
Be aware that the infant may begin teething at around 4 to 6 months of age, and there are things that you can do to make this process less painful for them, such as rubbing the gums with a clean finger and giving the infant a slightly chilled teething ring.
Keep items such as bottle nipples and utensils sanitary for the child by avoiding putting those items in your mouth to test the temperature or clean.
At this stage, teeth should be starting to appear. The proper care for a baby's teeth is similar to that of gums. Use a soft toothbrush that is meant for a small child to clean each tooth after meals. You should schedule a pediatric dentistry appointment after the first tooth appears.
Caring for baby teeth is important for allowing the child to learn to eat and speak properly. Proper pediatric dentistry care also helps prevent the occurrence of painful dental conditions.
Request an appointment here: https://www.starkidsdental.com or call Star Kids Dental & Orthodontics at (818) 483-9064 for an appointment in our Burbank office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Pediatric Dentist in Burbank, CA.
Many parents neglect early cavity treatment for kids, as they may feel that it is not essential because the child’s teeth will eventually fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth, anyway. However, diagnosing and treating cavities in kids as early as possible is incredibly important. In this review, we discuss the reasons that early…
Pediatric dentistry considers the early prevention of tooth decay crucial for maintaining the health of your baby’s teeth. One thing that causes tooth decay is drinking from bottles. It may seem difficult to prevent tooth decay, especially if a bottle helps keep your baby calm, but knowing the risks or dangers of early tooth decay…
Your child should see a pediatric dentist at an early age, ideally when they start to teeth. The aim is to have the dentist track the growth and development of their entire oral cavity. Regular visits enable the kids’ dentist to monitor the child as they hit different developmental milestones. The dentist also gets to…
Looking into your pediatric dentistry options? Parents can choose the type of dentist they want to take their child to, with general dentists, family dentists and pediatric dentists being the main three choices. Since children should be seen by a dentist by the time they reach the age of 12 months, making a decision as…
Many parents neglect early cavity treatment for kids, as they may feel that it is not essential because the child’s teeth will eventually fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth, anyway. However, diagnosing and treating cavities in kids as early as possible is incredibly important. In this review, we discuss the reasons that early…
Braces for kids might be what your child needs to put their teeth alignment problems or bite issues behind them. Pediatric dentists have used braces to address orthodontic issues for centuries, and they are still one of the most commonly used teeth straightening devices.Braces are dental devices that are used to improve teeth alignment. Historically,…