Parents of babies and young children may be wondering at what age they should focus on proper dental hygiene for their children, and may also wonder if it is ever too early to start. After all, newborns and young infants don’t even have any teeth breaking through the surface of the gums, and even once those pearly whites start to show, the teeth that erupt are only temporary placeholders for the permanent teeth that generally don’t appear until a child is of school age.
The facts are, however, that even actions taken, or not taken, at a very young age can affect the future oral health of a child, so it is really never too early to start practicing good dental habits. That’s why parents should be aware of steps they can take to give their children the best shot of growing up with a healthy set of teeth and gums.
Right from the start, parents should get into a habit of keeping their baby’s gums free from bacteria that can have an impact on gums and growing teeth. After nursing or drinking a bottle of formula, parents can simply wipe their child’s gums with a clean, damp cloth to remove remnants of sticky milk or formula. This will help to limit the bacteria that remain in baby’s mouth after eating or drinking.
Once primary teeth begin to erupt, it is even more important to practice good dental habits. Pacifiers should never be dipped in any type of sweet substance because the sugars can linger on and around the teeth and can lead to tooth decay. For the same reason, children should not be allowed to fall asleep sucking on a bottle or nursing. This can lead to severe tooth decay because the newly formed teeth are surrounded by milk or formula, as well as the sugars they contain, for long periods of time.
For the same reason, it is a bad habit to let young children drink juice from a bottle. Rather, for those children that are old enough to drink juice, it should only be offered in a cup. And since drinking any substance from a bottle bathes the teeth in the substance for longer periods of time than drinking the same substance from a cup, it is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry that children be weaned completely from a bottle by 12 – 14 months of age.
As soon as primary teeth erupt, children should begin to brush their teeth using an appropriately sized toothbrush. At first, the parent will have to take responsibility for doing this task, but as soon as a child can learn what to do, parents should allow children to brush their own teeth. They should always be supervised during the task, however, and only a pea sized amount of toothpaste should be used on the brush. Children need to be taught to spit out the toothpaste after brushing rather than swallowing, and it is generally recommended that non-flouride toothpaste be used until a child is at least two years old.
It is also recommended that a child’s first visit to the dentist occur by the time his or her first birthday arrives. This allows the dentist to identify any potential problems early on and develops the foundation for a lifelong of good dental hygiene habits.
For more information about the importance of proper dental hygiene in children or to schedule a pediatric dentist appointment in Queens for your baby or child, contact Park Dental Care at 718-274-1515.
