subject: Establish Proper Dental Care For Your Children Now For A Brighter Future [print this page] By establishing proper dental health care for your children now, you can ensure that they will maintain their glowing smiles well into adulthood. From healthy baby gums come healthy baby teeth and adult teeth. This is why you need to start providing good oral care for your children right from birth.
Caring for Your Baby
Even though your infant may not have teeth yet, it is still important to care for their gums. To care for your baby's gums a gentle wipe will do the trick. After each feeding, breast or bottle, gently wipe your baby's gums with a clean gauze pad or washcloth. By doing this, you are preventing the development of baby bottle tooth decay - yes your baby can get tooth decay before teeth even develop.
The discomfort of teeth coming into the mouth can cause your baby to become irritable and uncomfortable. Signs of teething, in addition to their added fussiness, include drooling and the urge to mouth objects. A temperature of less than 100 degrees is considered normal while teething. However, if your child has a fever while teething, call your physician immediately. You can ease some of the discomfort your baby is feeling by lightly rubbing your baby's gums with a clean finger or a wet gauze pad. A cool teething ring can also help soothe your baby's tender gums.
Your Baby's First Tooth
How exciting! Your baby has just gotten their first tooth. As soon as the first teeth appear, it is time to start taking care of them on a daily basis to help fight cavities. Giving your baby regular oral cleanings after each meal helps to instill good habits early in life. Within your child's first three years, you can expect approximately 20 teeth to appear. All 20 primary teeth, or baby teeth, are present in your child's jawbones at birth. The lower two front teeth are typically the first to erupt around six months after birth, but don't be concerned if your baby is a little late.
You should begin brushing your baby's teeth as soon as they appear. A small, pea-size dab of fluoride toothpaste can be used after the child is old enough not to swallow it. Gently brush your baby's teeth. By brushing your child's teeth early on, you can establish a proper rapport with them on the perks of proper dental care. Many parents brush their own teeth while brushing their child's to make brushing a fun time together. By doing so, you can help to establish proper dental habits in your child for when they can take care of their teeth on their own.
Additionally, by beginning to care for your child's teeth immediately you can help avoid baby bottle tooth decay. Babies can develop cavities, commonly referred to as baby bottle tooth decay, when their teeth are frequently exposed to sugary liquids for long periods of time. Among these sugary liquids are milk (including breast milk), formula, fruit juice and other sweetened liquids. If you must give your child a bottle at bedtime or naptime, make sure it contains plain water, and do not give a baby a pacifier that has been dipped in honey or sugar.
Visit Your Dentist
Your child should visit your dentist in Syracuse by their first birthday. You can make your child's first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Tell your child in advance that someone will look at their teeth and clean them. Try showing them pictures of dentists or have fun role-playing, acting like you or your child is the dentist. At the first visit, your dentist will examine your child's mouth for early signs of decay and other problems. Your dentist will also tell you many things you will need to know about helping your child grow up cavity-free. So make sure your child visits your Syracuse dentist regularly.
by: Gen Wright
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