Even if your baby is born without teeth, it is necessary to take care of his gums and teeth from the moment he is born so that he can have good dental development. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of teeth from the time your baby arrives in this world. Your baby's oral health is essential for his dental future, that is, for when his permanent teeth appear.
Healthy teeth are important to your baby's overall health. Teeth help you begin to speak clearly, eat solid foods, and make good sounds when speaking. In addition, the position of the teeth will also affect the shape of your child's mouth and jaw as he grows, so poorly maintained teeth can affect the aesthetics of your little one.
When the baby's first teeth appear
In general, the child's teeth begin to appear between 4 and 7 months of life, but each baby is different so these data are only indicative. When a baby starts teething, you may notice that he will start to drool or that he wants to bite down on everything near him to relieve the tension in his gums. The first teeth to appear will be the two lower front teeth.
Teething can be painless, but for many babies it hurts, a lot. It can be really uncomfortable and annoying for your little one. It does not usually cause fever so if your baby has a fever you should see your doctor. To take good care of your baby's teeth, you will also have to first relieve their discomfort. Some tips to ease your gum discomfort include the following:
- Give your baby a cold baby teether so he can suck or chew.
- Rub your baby's gums with a clean finger.
- Ask your doctor if you can give him some kind of medication to ease his pain.
Keys to caring for your baby's teeth
For the care of the baby's teeth, it is important to have some very clear keys and that in this way you know how to improve the oral health of your baby and that he has a good dental development as he grows. It is your duty as a parent to do so. Do not miss the following keys to start putting it into practice right now.
Clean your baby's mouth
Start cleaning your baby's mouth before the teeth come in. Clean your baby's gums after each meal with a warm, damp cloth or your clean finger wrapped in a moistened piece of gauze. You can also buy some items designed to put on your index finger and clean the baby's gums.
Take care of teeth immediately
Once the teeth begin to appear, you should take care of them immediately. Many parents think that baby teeth are not as important as permanent teeth because they will not stay in children's mouths forever, but they are the ones that will provide good health (or not) to the final teeth.
Baby teeth preserve space for permanent teeth and help your baby to chew and talk. Failure to take good care of children's baby teeth can lead to gum infection such as gingivitis that can affect the final placement of the teeth.
Avoid cavities
The first signs of cavities in baby teeth are discoloration of the tooth and even some small cracks or pitting. It is necessary to avoid possible cavities in babies with good eating habits. For example, leaving a baby with milk or juice for too long can cause cavities. Never leave your baby with a bottle for long periods of time, Especially if you notice that he is not feeding, that he only uses the bottle to feel calm or comfortable, because this could harm him and create cavities.
Start brushing your baby's teeth
You will need to start cleaning your baby's teeth twice a day as soon as the first tooth appears. Until your child is 1 year old, you can use a damp cloth or gauze to clean the child's teeth and gums. Afterward, you can start using a soft bristle baby toothbrush and a small amount of fluoride-free toothpaste until at least two years old (this type of toothpaste is safe if your baby accidentally swallows it).
Take your child to the dentist
It is important that you make sure to take your child to the dentist during his first year of life, especially if you think there may be a high risk of cavities or you notice any problems with his teeth. If you have any doubt or suspicion that something is not working as it should,take care of your dentist because there is no one better than him to advise you on the oral health of your little one.
Prevention is better than cure, for this reason, do not wait until your child has a dental problem to go to the dentist, since then you could face more expensive bills from the dentist and even major health problems.
The dental health of your children and the entire family is not something you should pass up. The health of the mouth is as important as the health of any other part of the body and the teeth are very important for everything (eating, speaking, health in general…). In addition, when the permanent teeth appear, there are no more so it will be important to take care of them with care and love and avoid problems in the future. There is nothing worse than having to put up with dental or gum problems just because you didn't have good dental hygiene or didn't show up for dentist visits when needed.