The teeth care it is a habit that must be established very early. Although it seems too early, it is recommended that the baby is evaluated by the dentist before reaching the first year of age.
In this way, the dentist will be able to confirm if the parents are applying an adequate oral hygiene technique for the baby, in addition to ruling out any pathology that may arise.
Take your child to the dentist
There are certain very important aspects to take into account for the baby dental health, generally unknown to many parents. For this reason, it is important to visit a dentist who is able to guide them about the recommended care and the possible consequences that not applying good oral hygiene to the baby could have from the onset of tooth eruption.
Why visit the dentist from the start of tooth eruption?
Baby bottle cavities
The baby bottle tooth decay It is a type of tooth decay that occurs in early childhood. This condition can destroy the baby’s teeth. The origin of this problem is in the prolonged and constant exposure to sugary liquids. This includes breast milk, formulas, fruit juices, and any other sugary liquids.
The dental plaque that covers the teeth is made up of bacteria that feed on sugary liquids. After feeding, these bacteria release acids that attack the enamel of the teeth and the longer the sugary liquid remains in the baby’s mouth, the greater the destruction of the enamel, forming the so-called bottle tooth decay.
Baby bottles between meals
Because It is not the content of the bottle but the frequency and time of exposure to acids that produce this type of cavities, if the bottle is left with a sugary liquid as a pacifier or the baby is allowed to sleep with the bottle in his mouth, it will cause significant damage to the teeth.
While the baby sleeps, the salivary flow decreases, which facilitates a prolonged attack of the bacterial acids to the enamel.
How to avoid baby bottle tooth decay
Avoid letting your baby get used to liquids and sugary foods as a reward or part of the daily diet.
Do not dip pacifiers in sweet liquids or add sugar to baby food to improve its taste.
Avoid prolonged use of the bottle.
The bottle should not be used as a pacifier.
It is advisable to teach the baby to drink from a glass before the first year of age.
Go to the dentist every 6 months after the first teeth appear.
How and when to clean the baby’s teeth?
After each meal, use a clean gauze to clean your baby’s teeth and gums.
It is necessary to start brushing the baby’s mouth with a soft bristle brush, as soon as the first tooth comes out.
Preventative treatments to avoid cavities in children
In addition to visiting the dentist periodically from the time the first tooth appears, it is necessary to continue the habit as the child grows.
As early as 3 years of age when children have all teeth, it is recommended to do preventative treatments such as the application of sealants for pits and fissures, cleaning and prophylaxis when necessary and topical applications of fluoride.
Also in these visits, the dentist will be able to reinforce in the child the correct habit of tooth brushing, in this way it will seem totally normal to him to take care of his mouth and the need to brush his teeth correctly.
Dental treatments for children
The fact that a tooth is temporary and will be replaced in the future does not imply that it is good for the child to maintain a source of infection in the mouth. Therefore, whenever there is a cavity in a temporary tooth, it must be eliminated and the tooth must be restored with a reconstruction.
When problems are observed in the position of the teeth, evaluation by the orthodontist is recommended, since in this way, preventative treatments can be carried out that prevent severe malocclusion problems in the future.
Early contact with the dentist will ensure a healthy mouth in the future.
