Caring For Baby Teeth
By Dr. Cameron SmithThe Importance of Your Child’s Teeth
From an early age, it is important to teach your child the importance of dental hygiene and caring for their baby teeth. They need your guidance on the correct way to brush and floss, and prepare for losing their first baby tooth.
- Baby teeth are important! Even though they are going to lose them, it is when a child is young that they learn to care for their teeth, so establishing good habits early is important. Also, you want your child to start life with a healthy smile.
- Even when your baby is too young to brush themself, you need to be sure to keep their mouth clean. A clean mouth prevents thrush, an infection that is caused by the build-up of yeast in tiny cuts in the mouth. Clean baby’s mouth with a warm damp cloth.
- Your child wants to learn proper tooth care from you! Make sure you help them learn how to brush by providing a good example. This also gives you the incentive to care for your own teeth.
- When your child begins to first lose her teeth, be sure to accommodate necessary dietary requirements. Cut up food into smaller pieces and encourage your child to brush and floss to prevent food from sticking between the teeth. Also, as they grow, make sure you take your child to the dentist to evaluate their tooth growth, check for cavities, and to see if orthodontic work is needed.
- Tooth Fairy? If you want to make things especially fun when your child loses teeth, let them be visited by the tooth fairy. You can make special certificates from the tooth fairy, give your child a couple of dollars per tooth, or even give some nutritional treats.
By starting young and learning how to care for their baby teeth, children will develop healthy habits to last a lifetime!