Children & Dental Care: A Guide for Mothers

As a mother, there may be a plethora of questions dogging your mind regarding your child’s health- especially when it comes to dental care.

We see many young children who are taken to the dentist and are then introduced to braces. This makes us wonder when a kid’s first dental check up should be and whether or not it is necessary to have braces installed in the teeth. It can be a daunting experience and might not even prove necessary!

All you have to do is follow these tips and guidelines to improve your child’s oral health.

• The Introduction of Oral Care

 A very common question in the mind of a mother-to-be is whether or not she should introduce her child to proper oral care before its baby teeth come out. However, a child’s baby teeth start forming during pregnancy itself. When the child is born, they already exist but are not visible.

You need not start with full-fledged oral care procedures right away, but here are some things you can do to ensure that their mouths stays clean:

1. You can avoid bacterial infections with the occasional cleansing of their gums using a warm wet cloth.
2. Buy an infant toothbrush and toothpaste to brush the teeth that will slowly become visible. The amount of toothpaste to be used should not be more than the size of a grain of rice.
3. Once the teeth start touching each other, it is time for you to start dental floss activities.
4. Once the child turns 2, teach them to spit. They are born with an innate ability to identify what is bad for them. So in case they consume something harmful, they will spit it out.
5. Make sure that the child does not follow any procedures that involve swallowing of the toothpaste.
6. Children of age 3 and above can start using more toothpaste. There are special children’s toothpaste tubes but even then, the amount of toothpaste should not exceed the size of a pea.
7. Monitor your children when they are brushing. Teach them at an early age that they are supposed to brush for at least a minute, reaching each part of their teeth.

• Visiting the Dentist

This can be done anytime between the ages of 1 and 3, but it is best that you do not delay this visit. So if they need to undergo any dental procedures as children, they will be prepared because of their early experience. 

• Preventing Cavities:

Cavities in children are one of the major concerns for any parent. Children’s teeth, especially milk teeth, are prone to cavities as they cannot sustain regular intake of sweets like chocolates and ice cream.

The only way to avoid this problem is to inculcate a healthy oral hygiene discipline in them from an early age so they are aware of what is bad for their teeth. Teach them to use fluoride and limit their intake of foods with high sugar content.

It is inevitable that your child will suffer from gum diseases or any similar oral health problem at least once. When this happens, the best course of action for you would be to visit a professional, preferably a local dentist who will form a bond with the child. This not only helps with risk prevention but also warms your child up to the normality of a visit to the dentist.