Baby teeth are temporary but require dental care. You can establish healthy dental habits for your baby at an early stage so they follow it even after they get permanent teeth. If the teeth decay at an early stage it can cause trouble in the development of speech as well as nutrition provided to the baby. You can know when should you start brushing baby’s teeth reading the content from this article.
1. Time to start brushing baby’s teeth
As soon as the first teeth appear through the gums, you can start brushing the baby’s teeth. During the initial stage of teeth development do not use a baby brush as the gums are still soft to take the treatment from the baby brush bristles. You can gently clean the baby teeth with a damp cloth, or your fingers, or a gauze pad. After meals and before bedtime clean the teeth of the baby as well as the front portion of the tongue.
2. Clean the baby’s gums
Right from the appearance of the first tooth, clean the teeth tongue, as well as the gums. Food that remains inside the mouth creates a bacterium which is harmful to the baby’s health. That is why clean the gums, teeth, as well as the tongue after every feeding. Finger brushes are available which are gentle on the baby’s gums and the baby loves the texture of these type brushes that make it easier for you to maintain the dental health of the baby right from the early stage.
3. Teething can give pain
The body temperature of your baby can increase, the gums could be swollen, and the baby could get fussy and start drooling when they first start teething. Keep their mouth clean and do not feed them sugar or salty foods during this time. Avoid feeding them juices or cow’s milk when they are teething. Keep the food intake to breast or formula milk and lots of water. This keeps them hydrated, keeps their weight in check, as well as prevents cavities when they are teething.
4. Things that happen during teething
The process of teething happens between 6 to 12 months. Babies can start crying, might not eat as they do usually, they suck on objects, and have dirty diapers during this stage. These are the signs of teething for the baby. Gently rub the gums of the baby during this time to ease the pain. Give them chewable objects that they can bite on, and give them pureed or mashed food that does not require a lot of chewing.
5. Start flossing when there are more teeth
As your baby starts teething, you can as well start flossing their teeth if there are more teeth touching each other. This ensures that the food does not get stuck in between the teeth and prevents many dental problems at an early stage. Choose baby toothpaste that does not have fluoride. As the baby grows older you can teach them to start brushing their teeth and introduce a baby brush with a handle.
6. Choose a brush with a small head
Brush the baby’s teeth for a minute, twice a day with this brush to avoid tooth decay and cavities. Choose BPA free toothbrushes and avoid using hard plastic toothbrushes. Until the baby reaches the age of 2 do not use toothpaste. Use a toothbrush only when more teeth appear. Sing a song to the baby to easy their fright when you start brushing their teeth. Place them in front of the mirror so they understand how to brush. Ease their anxiety of brushing teeth when you start brushing their teeth.
7. Baby tooth brushing techniques
Brush their teeth and gums in small circles and do it gently. Play little games and entertain them so you do not have to struggle to brush their teeth. If your baby is old enough to stand up or sit, brush your teeth along the same time you brush theirs. Make the baby sit on your lap and brush their teeth. This is the easiest method to brush their teeth and take care of their dental health. Use a very tiny amount of toothpaste as the baby grows old and ensure that you cover every surface of the teeth. This is the article that gives you information about when should you start brushing baby’s teeth.
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