Failing to establish a dental care program early in life - children need to learn to look after their teeth. They need to be taught how to brush, when to brush and what products to use when brushing.

Not providing regular dental checks – children need to have their teeth checked just as regularly as adults. By visiting a dentist from an early age, they learn fairly quickly that a dentist is not someone to be afraid of.

Eating and drinking the wrong foods – a child’s diet has a huge effect on their teeth. Providing them with sweet sugary drinks prior to going to bed is a big no-no. So too are sweets and soft drinks. You don’t have to deprive your child of these products, however, they do need to learn to rinse and/or brush after consuming them. Plenty of raw fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, can help to build strong teeth.

The adult teeth we grow in our early years are the only teeth we have. Once they have gone, they can only be replaced by expensive and often uncomfortable artificial teeth. Rather than producing the next generation of dental caries, produce a generation of strong pearly white teeth. Your children will thank you one day!

And yeah, as a nursing mother, you should also take care of your own dental health; if you have cavities, the bacteria responsible for it can infect your baby too.

If your baby sucks her thumb, you have to dissuade her from doing it. Thumb-sucking is typically observed in babies up to the age of two. After that, the habit can interfere with the development of her permanent teeth. But remember, in order to stop her from thumb-sucking or pacifier-chewing, you need to provide her with more emotional support instead of scolding her.

More often than not, parents don’t take their child to the dentist until she develops a tooth problem. Well, you should take your child to the dentist when her first tooth appears. Thereafter, in consultation with your dentist, you may take her for check-ups every six months.

If your baby has fever when she is teething, you should let the doctor know. Don’t treat illness during teething normal. And yeah, take your child to the dentist if she feels pain in teeth or gums.

Happy smiling!

If you have an infant at home, wipe her mouth after you have fed her. Use a baby tongue-brush or a soft cloth to clean your infant’s tongue.

Often we relate illness to teething. If your baby has fever and has been vomiting, don’t take them as a part of the teething process. Take her to the pediatrician immediately.

When your baby gets her first tooth, take her to the dentist for a check-up. Don’t let your baby sleep with a bottle of milk or in her mouth. This may cause tooth decay also known as baby bottle decay. Also, discourage your child from sucking her thumb. Try to make her stop doing it completely after the age of six.

You should not ignore a problem in your child’s teeth. Take your child immediately to the dentist.

Your child needs nutritious food for healthy teeth. Feed dairy products and other calcium-rich foods like tofu, spinach, broccoli, almonds, sesame, salmon, and sardines.

Even a child who has only one tooth can develop cavities. So, you have to pay attention and take care.

Dental care when your child is an infant…

• Wipe your infant’s mouth thoroughly after she has been fed.
• Take your child to the dentist when she develops her first tooth.
• Clean your infant’s tongue regularly with a soft cloth or a tongue-brush meant for especially for them.
• Do not let your baby sleep with a bottle of milk. This can lead to what is known as baby bottle decay.

Dental care when your child is growing up…

• Take proper care of the milk teeth of your child. Even though temporary, they lay the foundation for strong permanent teeth.
• Do not think that fever and vomiting are normal when babies teeth. Visit the pediatrician when your baby falls ill.
• Provide your child food rich in calcium. Feed dairy products and other calcium-rich foods like tofu, spinach, broccoli, almonds, sesame, salmon, and sardines.
• Dissuade your child from sucking his/her thumb or using a pacifier after the age of six.
• Set an example for your child by following a proper dental care routine.

Your child’s smile can make your day. Make sure the smile remains perfect.

Milk teeth lay the foundation for the child’s looks as well as the foundation for his/her permanent teeth. Thus, it is important to start taking care of a child’s dental health early on. Here are guidelines for dental care of infants and children.

• Take your child to the dentist when she develops her first tooth.

• Visit your pediatrician if your infant falls ills when she is teething. Fever and vomiting are not normal when babies teeth.
• Wipe your infant’s mouth after she has been fed.
• Clean your infant’s tongue regularly with a soft cloth or a tongue-brush meant especially for the purpose.
• Provide your child food rich in calcium. Feed dairy products and other calcium-rich foods like tofu, spinach, broccoli, almonds, sesame, salmon, and sardines.
• Dissuade you child from sucking his/her thumb or using a pacifier after the age of six.
• Do not let your baby sleep with a bottle of sweet liquid.

Poor dental hygiene can lead to the development of cavities in the child’s teeth. Take your child to the dentist immediately if you notice a dental problem. Keep your pediatrician and dentist informed about any new developments in your child’s health.

Dental care routine for a child is no different from that of an adult. All you need to do is to pay a little attention.

Happy smiling!

We often hand over a bottle of milk, juices, or other sweet liquids to babies to keep them from crying. This habit can lead to tooth decay. Take care to wipe your infant’s mouth after she has been fed. Do not let your baby sleep with a bottle of sweet liquid.

Baby bottle decay is also known as early childhood caries or nursing caries. The immediate symptom is pain but its long-term consequences include improper development of permanent teeth. Do not keep the baby exposed to sweet liquids for a long time. As a nursing mother, you should also take care of your own dental health; if you have cavities, the bacteria responsible for it can infect your baby too. It may sound strange but cavities are infectious!

Is thumb-sucking normal?

Thumb-sucking is typically observed in babies up to the age of two. However, you should dissuade your child from it after that age. Some children suck their thumbs or pacifiers even after their fourth birthday. Though it may not cause any problem in all cases, it is better not to let your child suck her thumb when her permanent teeth start appearing.

Do not be too harsh on your child for thumb-sucking; the habit is perfectly normal. Thumb-sucking or chewing a pacifier gives your child a sense of emotional security. Thus, in order to stop her from thumb-sucking or pacifier-chewing, you need to provide her with more emotional support instead of scolding her.

When should I stop breastfeeding?

You should start weaning your child before she turns one. Breastfeeding may become difficult once your baby starts chewing with her new teeth; hence, it is better to start weaning after she develops her first tooth. You can move from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding after 8-10 months. However, every child is different; thus, consult your pediatrician before you decide to wean your child.

When should be my baby’s first visit to the dentist?

Take your child to the dentist when her first tooth appears. Thereafter, in consultation with your dentist, you may take her for check-ups every six months.

When should I contact my doctor or dentist?

• You should immediately contact your doctor if your baby has fever when he is teething.
• You should consult your dentist if you would like to know how much fluoride should the baby intake.
• You should take your child to the dentist if she feels pain in teeth or gums.

Happy smiling!

Tooth decay can begin from as early as the appearance of the first tooth. In fact, the stage for tooth decay can be set even before a tooth becomes visible. It is important that you take care of the oral hygiene of your child from the first few days of his birth. This post will take you through the basic steps of oral hygiene that will help prevent decay and disease in your child’s mouth.

Day one to six months

• Wipe your baby’s gums with a soft cloth after every feed.
• Clean the baby’s tongue regularly with a soft cloth or a tongue-brush meant for infants.

Six months to a year

The first tooth of your baby will appear somewhere after six months and before her first birthday.

• Start brushing your baby’s when she gets her first tooth.
• Do not let the baby sleep with a bottle containing anything other than water.
• Brush the baby’s teeth before she goes to bed.
• Discontinue breast feeding by the time he is one year old.
• Replace the bottle with the cup; this helps prevent nursing caries.

A year till the appearance of all primary teeth

Once your child gets all her twenty primary teeth, you need to start taking care of her teeth the way you would take care of yours.

• Apart from daily brushing, floss your child’s teeth regularly.
• Give your baby a balanced diet.
• From the appearance of all her primary teeth, take your child to the dentist every six months.
• Start imbibing healthy eating habits in your child.
• Teach your child to rinse her mouth after every meal or snack.

Dental health in children leads to proper jaw growth, helping define the child’s facial features. Tooth decay during childhood can cause several teeth problems in your child’s adult life. Imbibe good dental and healthy eating habits in your child from the very beginning.

Happy smiling!