subject: Can Oral Care For Babies Prevent Future Cavities? [print this page] If you are a parent, you will worry about many aspects of your childs health. You will wonder if you are doing enough to protect your child, if you are doing things incorrectly or if there are things that you could be doing better. New parents should experience this level of anxiety. A newborn child is a precious gift, and the parents want to make sure that the child starts out in this world with as good a start as they can possibly give it. Parents usually overlook infant oral care.
Is Oral Care Important?
During the first few years of a childs life, the child will get many infections. These infections will help the child build up his immune system and build up resistances to many other diseases. The teeth will come in and grow during this time. Parents will brush the childs teeth and make the toothing process as painless as possible. They may want to take a child to see the dentist.
What Can Parents Do?
As odd as it may seem, oral care at this stage will do little to prevent future cavities. Oral care will help keep the childs mouth healthy, but cavities cannot develop until the childs teeth actually come in. A parent needs to keep the childs gums healthy, but general oral care will not prevent future cavities.
The basic steps are:
-Brushing
-Rinse
-Floss
-Regular Checkups
Even though oral care for an infant cannot prevent future cavities, it does not mean there are not steps a parent can take when the childs teeth actually do come in. One of the best steps the parent can take is making sure that the child brushes his teeth as often as the dentist recommends. A parent may decide to add an oral rinse regimen to keep things between the teeth clean. Although an oral rinse will do a good job in this area, it will not replace the need for flossing. Children and adults who floss their teeth regularly do not have to deal with the problems of stuck food particles.
What Else Can Parents Do For Their Babies?
If a parent is unsure about the needs of a baby, the parent should take the child to see a pediatric dentist. The pediatric dentist will know about all the potential problems that can happen before a childs teeth develop. If the pediatrician contradicts any thing you read in this article, which he should not, the parent should take the pediatricians advice.
by: Prodent Group
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