How Important Are Baby Teeth?

Baby teeth are very important for your child’s growth and development, even if they are not permanent. The health of your kid’s baby teeth affects the health of their permanent teeth. It can be easy to think that baby teeth don’t need the same amount of care because they are temporary but this thinking is FALSE. Poor oral care in children is linked to poorer immune systems, a higher likeliness for chronic diseases, and expensive future dental care.

Why Baby Teeth Matter

Your child will require healthy baby teeth to learn to chew solid meals, smile, and communicate verbally. Without a healthy mouth, your baby may miss important developmental milestones.

Your child’s baby teeth are the precursors of his or her permanent teeth. Permanent teeth develop inside the jaw, beneath the baby teeth.

If your kid loses a baby tooth too soon due to disease, lack of care, or trauma, the permanent tooth that replaces it may be misaligned, making it difficult for the rest of the teeth in that region to line up properly, perhaps resulting in bite difficulties. Teeth might become crooked or crowded as they age. As he or she grows older, your child may require braces to fix complications caused by a lost baby tooth.

Tips To Care For Your Baby’s Smile

Baby tooth care can have a long-term – good or bad – influence on your child. Here are some pointers to help you keep your child’s infant teeth healthy.

Wipe Your Baby’s Gums

Use a gentle, clean washcloth or damp gauze to wipe your newborn’s gums. Bacteria are kept to a minimum as a result of this.

Do Not Share Your Saliva With Your Child

Many parents give their newborns spoons, forks, and cups. According to research, it is not a good idea. When you share food or a drink with your newborn and transfer bacteria through your saliva, your baby may develop a cavity. It’s preferable to “pretend” than to really share that spoon.

Some parents are surprised to learn that their two-year-old has cavities, this can often be due to sharing mouth-to-mouth kisses and sharing silverware. Bad bacteria in the mouth has a sneaky way of climbing into the mouths of your children.

Be Sure To Clean Your Child’s Teeth

When your child’s infant teeth appear, clean them for them until they are ready (ages 7-8). Brush a child’s teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. When the time is appropriate, floss your child’s teeth as well.

Try making brushing your child’s teeth a fun part of the day to build healthy habits. Brush with them or make a chart with stickers; visual cues help young toddlers stay on track.

Resist Putting Your Infant To Bed With A Bottle

Before putting your baby to bed, make sure they have finished their bottle. Sucking on a bottle regularly exposes their teeth to more microorganisms.

Juice should never be placed in infant bottles. Breast milk, formula, or water should be the only contents of bottles. If you offer your infant juice, he will not want to quit sucking on the bottle. This creates more bad bacteria in the mouth and changes the structure of your baby’s palette, resulting in a higher likeliness of crooked teeth.

Reduce The Amount Of Sugar In Your Child’s Diet

Make pastries, sweets, and cakes a once-in-a-while treat rather than an everyday event. Limit the amount of juice they consume. Too much juice can cause cavities due to the high sugar content.

Schedule Regular Dental Visits

When your child becomes one year old, bring them in for their first appointment. Regular dental care is critical to your child’s overall health. We’ll create a plan for you and your child to give them a healthy smile.

At Potomac Dental Centre, we are passionate about making sure your child’s smile is set up for healthy success from the very start. Schedule an appointment with our hygienists for a cleaning and oral wellness exam. Let’s guarantee that your kid receives good dental care.