Tips To Care For Your Child’s Teeth

Experience had shown me that it is very important that parents take good care of a child’s teeth from the time they erupt. Dentists advice toddlers to brush their teeth both on the inner and outer surface 2 times a day,  early in the morning and at bedtime; it is also necessary to clean the  tongue of bacteria to prevent the toddler from bad breath.

Here are a few tips worth following regarding your child’s teeth:

 
• Once the child’s first teeth start erupting, it is advisable to fix up an appointment either within 6 of erupting or the first birthday whichever is earlier. Use a thin smear about the size of a grain of toothpaste and increase it to a pea size when the child is 3 years old. Most toddlers swallow the toothpaste at a very young age; teach the child to rinse the mouth with water when the child manages to not swallow the toothpaste.

• Start the child with brushing his/her teeth when he/she is willing and able to; however most children learn how to brush their teeth well at the age of 7 years.  Most children are motivated to brush their teeth when parent/parents clean their teeth with them and check on each other’s teeth. This will make learning of brushing of teeth both fun and interesting.

• Discard an old toothbrush that looks worn and splayed with a new one; this would help to make for effective brushing of teeth.  

• Certain foods like sweets including fruit, dried fruit, juice, and foods such as peanut butter and jelly and starch that include bread, crackers, pasta and pretzels can contribute to tooth decay and cavities. It is best to serve these items at meals than as snacks as they would get dislodged and not sit on the teeth for long. Serve them preferably with water. 

• Most dentists recommend flossing of the child’s teeth where the tooth surfaces are touching; this is best done immediately after brushing as it helps to draw fluoride from the toothpaste down between the teeth.

• Some children may be less motivated to brush their teeth; it would help to get him/her a new toothbrush with a cartoon character and in various colors. It would also help to get a kid’s toothpaste that tastes great. It would help to give him/her a choice of brush to brush his/her teeth daily.  

• Developing teeth benefit from a little fluoride; this mineral helps ward off tooth decay, strengthen tooth enamel and makes the teeth resistant to acids and harmful bacteria. Most children get this important mineral from toothpaste, water and other supplements, with the dentist applying fluoride varnish to the teeth during a routine dental check-up.

• Though a little of fluoride is good for a child’s teeth, too much of it when swallowed leads to fluorosis that shows up as white spots on your child's adult teeth. Therefore it is not good to use too much toothpaste before a child learns to rinse and spit it out.

Lastly it is recommended that your child should be taken to the dentist at regular intervals and follow-ups as instructed by your child’s dentist.