The Importance of Baby Teeth

It is common to assume that baby teeth do not need to be taken care of, considering they eventually fall out. Neglecting baby teeth can have a lasting impact on permanent teeth in the long run.

As parents, you want to do the best for your child, and oral care is no less important for your child. Allowing your child to skip brushing their teeth or snaking too often in a day increases the risk of cavities. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention close to 25% of children aged between two and five have cavities. Preschool children with cavities are more likely to develop cavities in their permanent teeth.

It is not suitable to extract decayed baby teeth. This affects the growth of permanent teeth and can cause additional problems for surrounding teeth. The baby teeth act as placeholders for permanent teeth, without which adjacent teeth may shift causing growth problems for adult teeth.

Children develop cavities due to several reasons. The most common reasons are eating excess candy and skipping oral care like brushing twice a day. In some cases, the bacteria that cause cavities can infect the teeth even after the decayed teeth fall out. Hence oral care is extremely important no matter the age.

How to care for your child’s teeth right from the beginning?

Learning begins at home. Instilling a good oral health care routine for your child right from the start will have a lifetime impact. Read on to learn a few tips on how to take care of your child’s teeth.

For Babies

Use a clean washcloth to wipe your baby’s gums. A baby’s teeth usually begin to grow at six months. Although in some cases, it may grow between 12 to 14 months.

Three Years and Under

As the teeth begin to grow, you can start brushing the child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste. The quantity of toothpaste used should not be more than a grain of rice. Develop the habit of brushing twice a day or as recommended by a dentist near you. To ensure that your child is using the right amount of toothpaste, supervision while brushing is recommended.

It is recommended to begin cleaning your child’s teeth daily after the child has two teeth that touch each other.

Three to Six Years

As your child begins to grow, you may slowly increase the quantity of toothpaste to be used while brushing your teeth. Between the ages of three and six, the quantity of toothpaste recommended is that of a pea-sized amount. Make sure to supervise your child as he/she brushes so they do not swallow the toothpaste.

Six Years and Above

Continued supervision is recommended until your child can brush on their own. Continue to brush your child’s teeth with a children’s toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with fluoride.

To know more on how to take care of your child’s teeth from the start, visit a dentist near you today. A pediatric dentist in Spruce Grove is happy to help.

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