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://nettsmiles.com or call Nett Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics at (623) 759-7658 for an appointment in our Phoenix office.
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