- \n
- Good oral hygiene should start before baby teeth appear, with a damp cloth or gauze used to gently clean the gums and introduce the habit early.<\/li>\n
- Once the first tooth comes through, a soft baby toothbrush and water can be used, with brushing kept gentle and part of a daily routine.<\/li>\n
- A small amount of toothpaste should be used as the child gets used to brushing, starting rice-sized and increasing to pea-sized once they can spit it out properly.<\/li>\n
- Cavity prevention goes beyond brushing, with flossing, limiting sugary and acidic foods and drinks, and encouraging water all helping protect children\u2019s teeth.<\/li>\n
- Early dental visits help children build confidence with the dentist and make it easier to monitor the gums, bite, jaw, and overall oral development from the start.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Why Is Dental Care Important?<\/h3>\n
The teeth are present inside the infant gums even before he\/she was born. They are just waiting for the perfect time to come out at about six months old. The parents should start teaching their children about oral hygiene even before these teeth appear by cleaning the gums of the child and introducing gentle brushing.<\/p>\n
Aside from serving as an auxiliary to articulation, the main function of teeth is to help us break down ingested food for better digestion. Children\u2019s teeth commonly called \u201cmilk teeth\u201d, plays a vital role in leaving a space for the permanent teeth, aside from its essentiality in chewing and speaking. It’s important to practice proper oral hygiene as early as possible to establish a habit that will be helpful once they become adult<\/p>\n
![\"teeth\"](\"https:\/\/www.gcdentalsolutions.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/peter-kasprzyk-U1gvhqVQ2kQ-unsplash-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen to Start Brushing<\/h3>\n
Dental and oral care for babies can start before their first teeth come out. Once your baby is about three months old, you can use a damp cloth or gauze to wipe your baby\u2019s gums twice a day. It is the first step of introducing brushing to your child.<\/p>\n
When the first tooth appears, keep using a gauze or try a soft toothbrush designed for babies in cleaning the teeth. As the child gets older, establish brushing as a daily routine and make it a fun activity.<\/p>\n
It is recommended to use water in cleaning the teeth until 18 months old. You may also ask the dentist for more recommendations.<\/p>\n
How to Brush Your Child\u2019s Teeth<\/h3>\n
1. Clean your baby\u2019s gums using a damp washcloth before their teeth appear.<\/h4>\n
Place your baby in a comfortable position then cover one of your fingertips with a clean gauze and gently rub your baby\u2019s gums, Do this at least twice a day because it will help your child to adjust himself\/herself in using a brush to clean his\/her teeth.<\/p>\n
2. Use a soft toothbrush designed for infants as soon as the first teeth appear.<\/h4>\n
Use a clean soft round-bristled toothbrush in cleaning the teeth of your baby. Most babies will feel discomfort and will be resistant at first but will eventually adjust to the feeling.<\/p>\n
3. Use warm water<\/h4>\n
Introduce the toothbrush to your baby without any toothpaste at first. Just wet the bristles with warm water and gently brush the teeth. Once the child accepts the concept of a toothbrush, you may introduce toothpaste but start with a rice-sized to pea-sized amount.<\/p>\n
4. Proper positioning and brushing<\/h4>\n
Place the baby in a comfortable position that allows you to see his\/her whole mouth. Make sure that you hold the brush at a proper angle of 45\u00b0 and brush the teeth gently in circular motion. Do not rub the gums to avoid irritations.<\/p>\n
5. Supervise<\/h4>\n
Most babies tend to swallow the toothpaste instead of spitting it out, and that\u2019s okay as long as you give the proper amount of toothpaste — a rice-size amount will not cause any harm to your child. After the child is old enough to spit the toothpaste you may now increase the amount of toothpaste to pea-size.<\/p>\n
6. Make it a routine<\/h4>\n
Make sure that brushing becomes a part of your child\u2019s daily routine. To make it more fun, you can incorporate games and songs that make brushing seem fun. As your child grows, encourage self-brushing<\/em> by letting them hold their own toothbrush. This is a long process but it will help them to have a sense of independence and confidence.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.gcdentalsolutions.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/child-dentist-pexels-nadezhda-moryak-7800657.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen to Take Them to a Dentist<\/h3>\n
We recommend that you schedule a visit to the dentist\u2019s when the first tooth appears. Do not wait for dental issues to arise before bringing your child to a dentist.<\/p>\n
Visiting the dentist at a young age and without any issues to treat will help the child establish confidence and trust with their dentist instead of fear. On the first visit, the dentist will do a quick examination by checking their gums, jaw, and bite. Followed by a demonstration of how to keep proper oral maintenance and hygiene<\/a>.<\/p>\n
How to Prevent Cavities<\/h3>\n
Brushing the teeth alone is not enough to fight cavities. Flossing is also recommended to remove plaque and food particles between your child\u2019s teeth that may cause tooth decay and cavities. Watching his\/her diet is also a big help in preventing cavities. Most children love sweets, which contains a high amount of sugar and is the primary food that causes bacteria in our mouth.<\/p>\n
As a parent, you must also be careful with giving acidic food and beverages to your child because which can erode the protective layer of their teeth. Also, drinking plenty of water is essential in maintaining optimal health, including oral health.<\/p>\n
Monitoring of your child\u2019s oral hygiene is really important not only to prevent cavities and tooth-related issues, but also protect him\/her from different gum and oral diseases.<\/p>\n
Tips for Looking after older Children’s teeth<\/h3>\n
1. Use an Electric Toothbrush<\/h4>\n
The electric toothbrush designed for children is a game changer in encouraging regular tooth brushing. Not only is the technology attractive to kids, most electric toothbrushes allow you to set a timer to two minutes (the recommended time-frame for toothbrushing), helping the child learn the proper duration of the routine.<\/p>\n
2. Teach Them to Floss<\/h4>\n
Once two of the teeth of your child are touching, you may now start flossing and cleaning in between his\/her teeth. It will help to prevent cavities that commonly occur between the teeth due to food particles and plaque.<\/p>\n
3. Visit the Dentist<\/h4>\n
Dentists are licensed experts who assist to help you with your child\u2019s oral health. By giving them information regarding your children\u2019s teeth issues, these oral health providers could further educate you in taking good care of your children\u2019s teeth and maintaining their oral health as well.<\/p>\n
GC Dental Solutions<\/h3>\n
Looking after your child\u2019s teeth is an important role as a parent. If you are looking for a trusted oral health provider who can help manage this task, GC Dental Solutions in Helensvale can provide you a wide range of dental treatments.<\/p>\n
GC Dental Solutions provide a roster of preventive and restorative services<\/a>\u00a0like teeth replacement, mouth guards, and fissure seals, as well as\u00a0general dental treatments<\/a> to help keep on top of your children’s oral hygiene.<\/p>\n
GC Dental Solutions is your local dentist with friendly and experienced staff to make your visits relaxed and comfortable. Call us today on 07 5573 1368<\/strong> or\u00a0enquire online<\/a>\u00a0to schedule your initial consultation.<\/p>\n
You can also book your consultation online<\/a> at you convenience.<\/p>\n
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Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
Why is early dental care important for children?<\/h3>\n
Early dental care helps children build good habits from a young age and supports their future dental health and oral hygiene. Children\u2019s teeth also play an important role in chewing, speaking, and holding space for permanent teeth.<\/p>\n
When should you start cleaning your child\u2019s mouth?<\/h3>\n
Dental care can begin before the first teeth appear. From around three months old, a damp cloth or gauze can be used twice a day to gently wipe the gums and introduce the habit of oral care.<\/p>\n
When should a child start using a toothbrush?<\/h3>\n
A soft toothbrush designed for babies can be used as soon as the first tooth appears. Before that, the gums can be cleaned with gauze or a damp cloth.<\/p>\n
How much toothpaste should be used for a child?<\/h3>\n
The toothbrush can first be introduced with warm water only. Once toothpaste is introduced, the amount should start small, from a rice-sized amount, and can be increased to a pea-sized amount once the child is old enough to spit it out.<\/p>\n
When should you take your child to the dentist for the first time?<\/h3>\n
A dental visit is recommended when the first tooth appears. Early visits help children feel more comfortable with the dentist and allow the dentist to check the gums, jaw, and bite while also showing proper oral hygiene techniques.<\/p>\n
How can parents help prevent cavities in children?<\/h3>\n
Brushing alone is not enough. Flossing helps remove plaque and food between the teeth, while limiting sweets, reducing acidic foods and drinks, and encouraging plenty of water all support better oral health and help reduce the risk of cavities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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