It is often believed that a child’s teeth need to be cared for only after the milk teeth have fallen out and the first permanent teeth appear in their place. This is a consequence of the erroneous assumption that milk teeth will fall out sooner or later, so there is no need to take special care of them. Nothing more wrong! For a child to have healthy teeth, they need to be cared for from birth. We’ll tell you how to do it soon.
From 0 to 2 years old
- Even when a woman is pregnant, her diet affects the development of the child’s tooth buds. The expectant mother should choose products containing a lot of protein, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D, and avoid excess carbohydrates.
- In the first weeks of life, after feeding the baby, it is good to wash his gums and tongue with boiled, cooled water. It’s best to soak a sterile gauze pad wound around your finger. This should be done at least 2 times a day.
- When the first tooth appears, you still need to continue cleaning with your finger. Special brushes for parents are available on the market, worn on the index finger.
- Around the first year of life, when the side teeth erupt, the first toothbrush and toothpaste can be introduced. They must be appropriate to the age of the child. Fluoride toothpaste is generally used from the first tooth. Initially, the toothpaste is applied a little, but when we use it, we brush the child’s teeth.
- The child can be allowed to be independent hygiene treatments, when he can spit so that he does not swallow the toothpaste, but it is necessary to improve brushing later.
- After the appearance of the first teeth, you should also schedule a visit to the dentist who will assess the condition of the oral cavity.
From 2 to 5 years old
- During this period, the child begins to think cause-and-effect, so you can explain to him in an accessible way why teeth are cleaned and what are the consequences of not taking care of them.
- It is also worth brushing teeth together with our toddler, because he learns by imitation, and we are the greatest authority for him.
- The child should learn to be consistent: even when he is sleepy and fussy, he must not take advantage of the reduced tariff and give up brushing.
- Also, the child’s manual skills develop in this age range. This is the time to slowly learn the proper technique of brushing your teeth. However, we constantly control the way brushing and finally we clean the teeth ourselves.
- Around the age of 3, when all milk teeth have appeared, you can make an appointment with an orthodontist who will assess the child’s bite condition.
Over 5 years
- At this age, children can brush their teeth on their own, but it is still worth supervising them to correct any mistakes.
- Greater mobility means that children operate the toothbrush much better and are able to take care of hygiene more thoroughly. Then it is worth buying a longer brush, with a profile for the thumb, with a surface for cleaning the tongue and cheeks.
- You can also start introducing fluids into mouthwash for children, and from about 6 years old, teach the child to use dental floss. It is recommended to use threads from the time of eruption of the sixth, i.e. the first permanent molars.
- School-age children should already have a developed sense of duty, and one of them is brushing their teeth. If you followed most of the recommendations before, it shouldn’t be a problem now. Brushing teeth it will become something so natural for the child over time that it will not be forgotten.