Caring For Your Child’s Teeth

Parents have the sole responsibility for caring for their child’s teeth until the child is old enough, and responsible enough, to do it on his/her own. This responsibility occurs sooner than most parents recognize. As soon as the first baby tooth erupts inside your child’s mouth, it needs to be cared for. This often surprises parents since the first teeth usually appear around just six-months of age. Do infants really need to have their teeth brushed? Yes, they do as this is good dentistry for children.

Tooth decay can begin as early as six months, and it is often referred to as “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.” This decay is the result of the sugars within milk and formula remaining on the teeth and causing significant damage. Many times, the damage is so severe that t.he baby teeth will need to be removed in order to prevent the damage and decay from spreading to other teeth. As drastic and scary as this sounds, tooth decay is preventable!

Just as with adult teeth, baby teeth need to be well taken care of in order to remain healthy. All teeth need to be brushed and flossed daily in order to reach optimal health. Parents need to begin brushing their child’s teeth as soon as they erupt inside the mouth. Using a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste, parents should brush the child’s teeth with a child-sized toothbrush in the morning and before bed. After brushing the teeth at night, no food or drink other than water should be given to a child – unless the teeth are going to be brushed again. It is important that children (just like adults) go to bed with clean teeth so that their teeth are not constantly assaulted throughout the night by damaging bacteria.

As children age, they need to learn to care for their own teeth well. They should be supervised for as long as it takes for them to brush and floss properly. A pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste should be used twice a day, and the teeth should be brushed for two minute increments. There are fun timers and apps by Disney® and other sources that encourage children to brush for a proper length of time, and these are easily incorporated into your tooth-brushing time.

It is also important for your child to visit the dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups. Just as with adults, regular dental visits can catch concerns early on for appropriate intervention. At Family & Cosmetic Dental Care in Johns Creek, we welcome patients of all ages. We look forward to serving you and your family with exceptional dental care. Call us today.

Posted by Mitul Patel DDS, Family & Cosmetic Dental Care
Circle Us on Google+