7 Ways To Support Better Oral Health For Your Baby
If you have a baby and you want to help them maintain healthy teeth and gums, these 7 handy tips will help you do just that….
Babies are adorable little beings with gummy smiles which you only need to keep clean with moist, clean gauze or a soft washcloth. This will also help your baby get used to that kind of care from you. When their teeth come through however, things change a little and those adorable little baby teeth require a different approach to help keep them in great condition whilst baby still relies on you for complete care.
Abbey Road Dental are your local family friendly dentist and we want to help the whole family maintain beautiful, healthy, happy smiles, and that begins right from the emergence of the very first tooth. In fact, the sooner we can encourage a good attitude to oral health the better, so your baby can grow up knowing how to take care of their teeth for a strong, beautiful smile right through to adulthood.
Today, we want to help you with some essential baby dental care tips that we know will boost their smile health. We can offer you a lot more support and advice in our NW8 clinic, but for now, here are 7 tips to keep your baby’s teeth healthy:
1. Use The Right Amount Of Toothpaste
The right amount of toothpaste for a baby up to the age of three is a small smear of a baby-specific product. This kind of toothpaste uses the right amount of fluoride for this age group and it might be flavoured in a way that the baby likes, too. If you are unsure which toothpaste is best, please ask at your next Abbey Road Dental appointment and we will be more than happy to provide you with advice. It’s usually a case of choosing a safe toothpaste your baby tolerates best.
2. Bring Them To Our St John’s Wood Clinic
Before your child even has teeth it is a great idea to have them come to your NW8 dental appointments with you. This will help them get used to the environment, and watch you smiling and having your check ups done without any worry.
Once they do have their first tooth it is time for their first checkup with the dentist. We are very proud of being family friendly, and our founder, Diana, has a huge range of special techniques and fun baby-friendly methods to ensure your baby is engaged and comfortable during these early checkups. Often, they are just curious and leave with a big smile on their face!
3. Babies Need Their Teeth Brushing Twice A Day Too
Many people don’t realise that babies need their teeth brushing twice a day just like adults. It may just be one, or a few very little teeth, but they can gather plaque and bacteria too, so they need a gentle scrub once in the morning or the evening, or last thing at night and then at another time convenient to you.
4. Place Them In The Right Position
Brushing a baby’s teeth should be done in the right position that limits the risk of choking, and to make sure they, and you, are as comfortable as possible. Usually, this is them sitting on your lap facing away from you, with their head resting on your chest. It can help to put something fun on like music or a cartoon they like to help them associate the process with something positive.
5. Use The Correct Technique
The correct technique is used to brush baby’s teeth to ensure that all the surfaces are brushed effectively. This involves gently brushing in small circles around the tooth, including the gum line and changing the order of teeth that you brush, so that there is never a tooth that gets less attention. If you can, encourage the baby to spit the toothpaste out afterwards, avoiding rinsing their mouth with water afterwards, which will actually prevent the fluoride doing its job, so it is never ideal for babies or adults.
6. Start With The Right Diet
Good oral care can never correct a bad diet, regardless of age. Sadly, the impact of sugar is continuing to be seen in the teeth of young children, even with the sugar tax and new limits on advertising.
Here at Abbey Road Dental we have plenty of tips and tricks we can provide when you visit us for a checkup to help you limit the sugar intake of your child. In the meantime, the NHS website and your midwife and GP have lots of tips that can help you to limit sugar in your baby’s diet.
7. Avoid Dummies & Thumb Sucking After 12 Months
Dummies are fine for babies, but after 12 months they can become problematic because they encourage an open bite. This problem can cause various issues, including a problem with speech. For this reason both dummies and thumb sucking should be avoided after 12 months. If you need some help weaning your baby off their dummy, this NHS page has some handy tips. We can also give you advice in your baby’s oral health checkup with us at our local clinic.
Your Baby’s Teeth Are Superstars
Baby teeth will eventually fall out as adult teeth come through, but they still have a very important role to play so it’s important to give them as much care as adult teeth. Issues with baby teeth can lead to problems eating, speaking, smiling and chewing. The teeth also act as placeholders for the adult teeth.
Keeping those teeth healthy and free from decay is really important, as is teaching baby that an oral health routine is a positive thing, and a skill that they will have forever.
For baby’s first dental checkup, or any advice on caring for their teeth and gums, please do get in touch with Abbey Road Dental. We are here to support you and help you give your baby the best possible start to a healthy, happy smile for life!