You may spend a good amount of money on buying dental care products for yourself. From electric toothbrushes to mouthwashes to the latest flossers, there are a number of things to choose from. However, taking care of your baby’s milk teeth is just as important. Most people believe that since milk teeth are going to fall out anyway, they do not need to care for it much.
When parents do not make sure whether their baby’s teeth are cleaned properly, it may result in damage and loss of teeth earlier than what is normal. Moreover, healthy milk teeth create space in the jaw for permanent teeth. They shape your jaw, prepare it for your adult teeth, and determine how the new teeth are going to be arranged inside your mouth. Visit an Upland dentist today.
Ways to take care of your child’s milk teeth
- Do not engage babies to sleep with bottles.
Many moms, when putting their babies to sleep, put a milk bottle in their mouth. This causes the baby’s teeth to be exposed to the milk or other liquid in the bottle, which is not good for its health. The milk or other liquid pooling around the milk teeth can cause plaque buildup. If your child constantly sleeps with bottles in their mouth, they may soon catch cavities, and this condition even has a name “baby bottle decay.”
- Start cleaning the baby’s mouth before the teeth come out.
Just because your baby does not have teeth yet, that does not mean you do not need to clean the insides of their mouth properly. Gums without teeth need care as well. So make sure to clean your baby’s mouth with a wet cloth after every meal and before putting them to sleep. Gently wipe the gums, and do not put too much pressure as your baby is still sensitive. Clean gums create a clean environment for new teeth.
- Do not let your baby suck their thumb.
While thumb-sucking is commonly found in babies, it is not a healthy practice for their teeth and gums. Thumb-sucking usually disappears when a child reaches the age of 4 months, but some children retain this habit for a longer time which causes dental harm. Dentists recommend parents take steps to break this habit as soon as possible. However, make sure it is completely gone by the time the permanent teeth start coming at 5 years old.
Making an effort to learn about your infant’s dental health and how you can care for it can go a long way. If you have questions, visit a dentist today.