How To Care For Your Toddler’s Teeth?

A toddler is a young child between infancy and childhood, beginning between the ages of 12 and18 months. Caring for the toddler occupies most of all mothers’ time but most mothers tend to neglect the toddler’s teeth. It is crucial to look after a baby’s teeth and you need to brush from the first tooth.

Even before your baby has teeth, you can gently brush the gums using water on a soft baby brush or with a soft cloth.

Baby teeth should be cleaned as soon as they emerge. At first a cloth wrapped around the finger can be used to clean the single tooth instead of using a brush. When to use a baby tooth brush may differ with dentists. Some dentists advise the use of tooth brushes after the eruption of 4 teeth in a row, while others recommend waiting till the child is around 2-3 years old.

Tips for brushing your toddler’s teeth:

• Choose a soft bristled baby brush; before brushing, soaking the brush in warm water for a few minutes can soften the bristles even more.

• Plain water is recommended for brushing rather than a tooth paste till the age of 2, as children tend to swallow toothpaste. Ingestion of toothpaste leads to fluorosis and discoloration of the permanent teeth.

• If a tooth paste is to be used, a green pea sized amount should be squeezed onto the brush and brush your child’s teeth twice a day. Spend around 2 minutes brushing, concentrating on the back molars. Select toothpastes recommended for children and a flavor which they like, to encourage brushing.

• Start flossing their teeth by the time two teeth that erupt touch each other side by side. Most children lack the coordination to brush and floss their teeth until about 6-7 years of age. Allowing your children to watch while you are brushing teaches them the importance of oral hygiene.

• Replace the tooth brush every 3-4 months or if it shows any signs of wear.

• Ask your dentist about your child’s fluoride requirements. If the drinking water is not fluoridated, fluoride supplements or topical fluoridation may be necessary.

The first visit to the dentist would be preferably after the first tooth has erupted. This allows the dentist to examine the teeth for any irregularities and counsel the parents regarding correct brushing techniques.

Putting the toddler to nap with a bottle of juice, formula or milk wreaks havoc with their oral health. The sugary fluids left in contact with the teeth can trigger tooth decay (baby bottle syndrome). If in case your child needs a bottle, make sure it contains only water. Loss of teeth at a primitive stage may affect the child’s speech. Sugary drinks and foods must be limited to mealtimes.

Even though pacifiers are said to prevent sudden infant death syndrome, long term use can affect the erupting top and bottom front teeth and the shape of the mouth. Pacifiers are for infants and should be discontinued in toddlers. It should be preferably dropped by age 2 and professional evaluation should be got if it continues beyond 3 years of age.

If you are giving your little one, medicine especially sugary syrups, then brush their teeth afterward, as the sugar found in some medicine can be converted into enamel damaging acids.

To soothe pain from teething, try letting your child chew on a clean teething ring, cool spoon or a cold wet wash cloth. You can also try rubbing your child’s gums with a clean finger.

Oral hygiene is as important in children as in adults. Children are fussy when it comes to brushing and flossing and it is up to the parents to stand firm on oral hygiene.