Baby Dental Care: 8 Tips To Take Care Of The Baby's Mouth

Toddlers’ oral health is an aspect that is often overlooked. Check out these tips for taking care of your baby’s mouth.

It is not necessary for the teeth to be out to start taking care of your baby’s mouth. In this article, we will explain how to be attentive to your toddler’s oral needs from the first days of life.

The mouth allows the baby to experience the changes and sensations necessary for his development. Through this part of his body, the little one binds himself and discovers the world in which he has arrived. For example, breastfeeding, tooth eruption, first feedings, and babbling are natural processes in which the mouth participates. Therefore, it is essential to keep her healthy so that she can perform her duties without any problems.

Taking care of your baby’s mouth from an early age will help you prevent many complications. In addition, it will promote the proper development of the structures that compose it. Below, discover some tips to take care of your baby’s mouth and be attentive to the needs of this important part of his body.

Opting For Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding offers multiple benefits. In addition to nutritional quality, immune protection, and emotional bonds between mother and child, breastfeeding also helps to take care of the baby’s mouth, since it facilitates the correct growth of oral structures. With this, the risk of bite problems that may appear in the future decreases. In addition, the baby learns to perform the functions of sucking, swallowing, and breathing.

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The nutrients provided by breastfeeding help the teeth that form inside the bone to grow. The calcium, phosphorus, and proteins provided by breast milk are necessary for the mineralization of teeth. In addition, combined with good hygiene, breastfeeding reduces the risk of cavities and other ailments.

Clean The Mouth Before The Teeth Come Out

Keeping the baby’s mouth clean is the key to taking care of it. The gums and tongue should be cleaned from the first months of life, even before the appearance of the first tooth. In addition, with this practice, we help the child get used to oral hygiene as part of the daily routine. In addition, with the massage that occurs during the cleaning of the gums, we can alleviate the discomfort that occurs during the eruption of the teeth.

Brush Baby Teeth As Soon As They Erupt

When the first tooth comes out, it’s time to start cleaning it with a toothbrush and toothpaste. It is necessary to choose a small instrument with soft bristles. Toothpaste should contain fluoride and put a small dose, smaller than a grain of rice. When the child learns to spit, around 3 years of age, the dose can increase and reach the size of a lens.

The ideal is to brush your teeth twice a day or after each meal. Around the age of 3, the child will have all his baby teeth. Not taking care of children’s dental hygiene can cause cavities, gingivitis, bad breath, infections, and pain. With this, the quality of life of the little one is affected.

Healthy baby teeth help him chew, eat, talk, and smile without problems. In addition, it will allow the child to interact normally and not interrupt their learning and games due to discomfort or pain. Temporary teeth also help the perms to position themselves in the right place at the time of replacement. With this, the risk of crooked teeth or bite problems appearing in the future decreases.

Avoiding Contagion

Childhood cavities are one of the most common diseases in children. This is the destruction of the hard tissues of dental parts by the action of acids produced by microorganisms during the fermentation of sugars in food. Lack of oral hygiene and excessive consumption of sweets are factors that favor the onset of the disease.

Transmission, in general, is from parents to their children. If adults have active cavities, severely destroyed teeth, and open and untreated molars, the risk of contagion is much higher. There are situations in everyday life that promote the transfer of bacteria:

Blow or taste the baby’s food.
Share cutlery or utensils that he puts in his mouth.
Kiss the baby in the mouth.
Clean pacifiers, bottle nipples, or toys with your saliva.
Use the same toothbrush.
The fact that adults do not take care of their oral hygiene and have active cavities.

Be Careful With Bottle Use

When breastfeeding is not possible, the bottle becomes essential to feed the baby. But there are a few considerations to consider. For example, the choice is a very important aspect to consider.

Choose the right bottle: choose one according to the age of the child and with a pacifier with small holes that promotes the sucking effort.
Protect against cavities: Using a bottle with sugary liquids, such as formula, juices, and soft drinks, promotes the appearance of cavities. The risk is greater if the child stays with the pacifier in his mouth for a long time or falls asleep with his bottle.
Remove the bottle in time: its prolonged use can lead to deformities of the oral structures and slurred speech. Thus, before 12 months, the child should already stop using it.

Use The Teat Properly

Teats sometimes bring benefits to the little one, but some aspects must be taken into account so as not to have negative effects on the mouth. This accessory can bring comfort, and tranquility and help the baby fall asleep. In addition, it helps reduce the risk of sudden death syndrome.

It is recommended to choose orthodontic models that are more similar to the mother’s nipple and do not deform the oral structures. In addition, avoid practices that promote the appearance of cavities, such as immersing them in sugar, honey, or sugary liquids. As with the bottle, the pacifier must be removed in time (at 2 years) so that its use does not last and causes problems.

Taking Care Of The Diet

The incorporation of new foods is an important time in the lives of babies. To take care of their mouth, you have to be responsible with the food and drink they are offered:

Guarantee a varied, balanced, and healthy diet: with this, the goal is that they get all the nutrients they need to grow. Among them, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins are essential.

Avoid sugary substances: adding sugar to foods, giving sweets, sugary drinks, juices, sodas, ultra-processed foods, and pastries from an early age increases the risk of suffering from oral diseases, obesity, and diabetes.

Take into account the consistency of the food: at the beginning of complementary feeding, you can opt for porridges and soft textures, but harder foods should be incorporated little by little. By giving the child pieces of food, you help him learn to chew. With this, the orofacial structures are strengthened and exercised.

Consult The Pediatric Dentist

Visiting the pediatric dentist before your baby’s first birthday is another way to take care of their mouth. You should then continue with regular check-ups every six months.

Start taking care of your baby’s mouth today

Taking care of your baby’s mouth from an early age will bring many benefits. By putting into practice, the advice, we have given you, you will be able to take care of the health and well-being of your little one.

Baby Dental Care: 8 Tips To Take Care Of The Baby’s Mouth