Dental Hygiene for kids

What can be more precious to a parent than their child’s smile? A HAPPY & HEALTHY SMILE is what all us parents live for & like a gazillion other things that we are concerned about, our child’s oral health is one. Parents have a hard time deciding how much dental care their child needs. They undoubtedly want to avoid cavities & other dental problems, but they don't always know the best way to go about it. 

Let’s address a few important issues about your child’s dental health.

Well, contrary to popular belief, dental care DOES NOT start after your child gets this first tooth. Actually good dental habits should begin even before the first tooth appears. Gently wiping your baby’s gums with a clean damp washcloth after feeds clears away harmful bacteria. As soon as your baby cuts their first tooth, start brushing using a baby finger brush & fluoride free baby toothpaste. After 2 years of age you can switch to toothpaste with fluoride upon consultation with your pediatrician. A visit to a dentist is a good idea after 18 months of age. 

Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle, this could lead to CARIES or BOTTLE MOUTH where the teeth enamel decays after being in contact with sugars from milk or juice for long hours.

Make brushing at least twice a day a routine. You can also start flossing you child’s teeth once they have two teeth touching each other. You can make this process more interesting with the aid of various books & activities. Here are a few of Momsters’ recommendations:

• The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss
• Show Me Your Smile!: A Visit to the Dentist (Dora the Explorer) 
• Brush Your Teeth Please by Leslie McGuire
• Open Wide: Tooth School Inside
• Clarabella's Teeth 
• Melvin the Magnificent Molar 
• Just Going to the Dentist. 
• Does a Tiger Open Wide? 

 And here are a few interesting blog posts on Dental Hygiene for kids:

• Lets play dentist Credits Sense of Wonder
• Tooth Art Credits Rock a bye Butterfly 
• D is for Dentist Credits Life with Moore Babies

Before we wind this talk up, another important yet often overlooked issue that needs to be brought to attention is sharing spoons with your child. Many parents lick their children’s spoon or fork thereby unknowingly spreading germs & eventually causing cavities.  

In the end, provide your child with a balanced diet-include cheese, vegetables, yogurt and milk at mealtimes to build strong teeth, while offering water to be sipped regularly. Avoid sticky, gooey or long lasting candies that can stick in the grooves of the teeth for hours.

We hope these little pointers help making you babies’ smile a HEALTHY and HAPPY one.