Are your baby’s teeth on their way? Then you should start taking care of them. Did you know, when your baby is born, he already has the first set of teeth? It just has to tear through your gums when your baby is between six and twelve months. What an exciting time it is! You might brush off the importance of primary teeth because they will fall off soon but they are a great tool for chomping. Yes, it will be replaced by the permanent ones but taking care of them will instill lifelong habit of oral care.
Here are some useful tips to take care of the special first set of baby teeth:
- Diet and a Baby’s Dental Health
Who doesn’t know that sugar is the biggest foe of your healthy teeth? That is not just for adults but for babies too. It is not like babies are born with the love of sweet stuff. They may equally love baby food you make without any sugar. If you are some who buys baby food, then there are sugarless options out there. Don’t think babies love the ordinary fruit juice? Give it a try and you will never have to buy special juices for them. In case your baby is very young, make sure you dilute the juice with a lot of water.
If you want your baby’s dental health to remain intact, reduce the amount of sugar foods and drinks you give him. By giving them sugary drinks and foods, you are taking the risk of tooth decay which you don’t want. It is better to give them sugary foods and drinks by incorporating it in their meals rather than giving it to them between meals as snacks. Give it to them with water so that it doesn’t sit on the teeth.
- Don’t use too much of Pacifiers
It is only best to use pacifiers when really necessary and stop using it as soon as you can. It is not necessary to give every child a pacifier. In case, you think the pacifier soothes your baby and is useful for you, then choose a correct design. The orthodontic type is the best. Otherwise, it adversely effects the way your baby’s teeth growth.
The worst part is when mothers dip the pacifiers in jams or honey to make the child to use it more often. Babies find ultimate satisfaction and peace in sucking thumbs and other things. You can let them suck it because most of the time infants leave it on their own. By the time they turn four, they forget all about sucking.
- Clean baby’s gums
Wondering if you should clean the baby’s gums even before he gets his first tooth? Yes, you should. Take a soft damp cloth and wrap this cloth on your index finger. Use it gently rub your baby’s gum. Baby’s usually love it when you rub their gums. No need to use any tooth paste at this point.
Though you can make it a habit of wiping his gums during bath time but make sure you always clean them after feeding. This prevents growth of bacteria and maintains oral health. Cleaning the baby’s gums regularly will help it easier for the baby to shift the tooth brush phase.
- Don’t use bottles as pacifiers
As soon as the baby’s teeth start showing up, stop giving them sweet drink in a bottle no matter how much they pinch you to. It is really harmful for his teeth. The worst part is when mothers let the baby take the bottle at night and let them sleep with it. Don’t let your babies sleep with the bottles whether it is day or night.
Serve the purpose of feeding with the bottle rather than using it as a pacifier. Letting the baby sleep with a bottle of milk or juice can build cavities. The baby will leave the bottle only after he turns 12 months old but till then don’t create the habit of letting the baby sleep with the bottle. He will start using a cup to drink when he is six months old. Make sure you give your baby a lot of cool water (cooled boiled water) and a pint of milk every day.
- Control fluoride intake
Although it was thought that babies shouldn’t use fluoride tooth paste until they turn 2, now things have changed. Dentists believe that you don’t have to wait for your kid to turn two. You can begin using cavity preventing fluoride as soon as the baby’s first tooth shows up.
He is not using fluoride toothpaste right now but you can simply use a rice grain size of the fluoride toothpaste on his teeth. Then move on to a pea size when he turns 3. You don’t have to worry if your baby swallows it which he probably will because such a little quantity won’t hurt.
Your baby can also get fluoride from drinking tap water but if it doesn’t contain fluoride, you can talk to your doctor about fluoride supplements as soon as he turns 6 months.
