Baby Teeth - How To Keep Them Healthy
Baby teeth are for more than putting under a pillow for the Tooth Fairy. Actually, tooth decay and cavity prevention start a lot earlier than you may think. What you do NOW will affect your baby's future dental health. Many people feel that baby's first set of teeth are not important since they fall out anyway. This is not the way you should look at it. The better you take care of these teeth, the healthier and stronger the permanent teeth will be. So keep baby's mouth in good shape. You should schedule baby’s first dental check up sometime before he reaches 1 year of age. This visit needs to be done before all twenty of the primary teeth, or baby teeth, break through the gums. The dentist will have a look at your baby's mouth and gives a thorough examination, and you will get a little pep talk with instruction for proper pediatric dental health. Here are some important things about baby teeth care that you may, or may not, already know. - Baby should drink nothing but milk, formula or water. Sweet juices and nectars contain sugars that promote tooth decay. You can give a sip of juice here or there, but definitely don’t give juice in a bottle, especially not overnight.
- Mouth cleaning should begin even before 1 year old. The parent will take a clean, damp cloth and wipe the teeth and gums with it. This removes bacteria and other germs that may lay there and damage the permanent teeth when they begin to form.
- Know the signs of teething, too. Look for excessive drooling, loss of appetite and sucking on everything in sight, i.e.…blankets, toys, fingers, etc… Other common signs include fever, diarrhea, or a rash. But if any of these develop call your pediatrician just in case. To lessen the discomfort, a hard, cool teething toy is the best bet.
My friend’s son got a terrible diaper rash. They thought it was the diapers, and tried switching brands. They even tried organic cotton diapers. Nothing helped. In the end, they realized it was from teething! The rash came and went a few times every time their son got new teeth. So, often minor, unexplainable illnesses come from teething. Still, give your doc a ring just in case.
| - Hold your baby during feeding time. Leaving a baby unattended while feeding is dangerous. Aside from the choking hazard, formula contacting the new teeth can cause cavities in baby teeth. Try not to let your child sleep while sucking a bottle. It is best to give the bottle, and then take it away after she falls asleep. Nursing kind of solves this problem, because you will want to get up and go!
- As the baby grows older, a sip cup is a natural next step. This should be monitored and limited to avoid misalignment of the teeth. Do not allow your baby to walk (or learn to walk) with a bottle or sip cup in their mouth. Injuries to the mouth can have a lasting effect on a young one.
- Do some research on supplemental fluoride. This helps the teeth grow stronger and prevents tooth decay. However, it is also somewhat toxic, so you don’t want your child swallowing any of it.
Habit becomes second nature. If you accustom your baby to good hygiene at a young age, she will continue it when she gets older. Babies learn by example, so set a good one for them and teach good dental care from the start. Baby teeth are more important than a lot of people think. Keep your baby's primary teeth healthy and clean so the permanent teeth can come in the same way. Be a good parent and practice good dental care right from the start.
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