Surprisingly, a lot of patients think that baby teeth aren’t as important as adult teeth. However, baby teeth play a vital roles in the health of your children. They are required for smiling, speaking, and eating. They also help prepare your child’s mouth for adult teeth to come in when they are older. Additionally, keeping your child’s teeth health will help them develop confidence, and improve their speech development. Working with your Naperville family dentist to take good care of a child’s baby teeth will teach them how to care for their adult teeth as well.
How Do I Take Care of Baby Teeth?
There are a number of different things you can do to ensure your child’s baby teeth are healthy. This includes the following:
- Make Sure Your Child Visits The Dentist Regularly: Once your child’s first tooth comes in, an appointment with Dr. Weyneth should be scheduled. He can give you guidance on how to care for your child’s baby teeth as they come in. You’ll learn when to expect the next baby teeth, and if there are any concerns to be aware of in their mouth as they continue to develop.
- Be Mindful Of What Your Child Drinks And Eats: Sugary foods and drinks can hurt baby teeth. Almost all sodas and fruit juice are usually high in sugar or acid which can create a higher risk of cavities. Acid and sugar can weaken the enamel, which is the outer shell of your child’s teeth. It is important to monitor not only what your child drinks, but also what they eat. Many foods geared towards children have high levels of sugar which can also cause damage to your child’s teeth. Sweets are ok every once in a while, but should not be eaten in excess.
- Brush Your Child’s Teeth Two Times Per Day: Brushing your child’s teeth in the morning and night, will help immensely stop cavities from forming. Look to find fluoride toothpaste which can help not only stop cavities from developing, but also can strengthen the enamel of their developing teeth. Children younger than three-years-old, should use the amount of toothpaste equivalent of the size of a grain of rice. You can then progress to toothpaste the amount equivalent of the size of a pea once they reach three-years-old.
For newborns, wiping their gums with a wet pad or cloth is a good idea after breast feeding or drinking formula to keep their mouth clean and healthy. Keep in mind that as infants grow and their baby teeth come in you don’t want to put your child to sleep with a bottle of milk. The milk will pool around the baby teeth which can damage the tooth and also can cause gum disease. - Once You Notice Two Teeth That Touch, Clean In-Between Their Teeth Daily: This will help to prevent any food from going under the gums and getting stuck between teeth. Helping your child to floss their teeth on a daily basis will help to stop cavities from forming in-between their teeth. Teach and assist your child with flossing until they are able to do it effectively by themselves.
If you have more questions about caring properly for your child’s teeth, or have concerns about how their teeth are developing, please schedule an appointment with Sherman Oaks today.
Schedule An Appointment Today
Dr. Weyneth and his team at Sherman Oaks look forward to taking care of your entire family’s teeth. As a Naperville family dentist Dr. Weyneth will be able to help the entire family from babies, youth, teens, and adults. Now is the time to schedule an appointment with us, so we can help your children start healthy oral habits now. These habits will keep their teeth healthy for the rest of their lives!