One of the most important phases in a newborn life is when their milk teeth start to grow, it’s a new period for both the little one and parents because their child can finally start eating different kinds of soft foods, vegetables, fruits, and discover the various tastes and consistencies in the world of food.
Once milk teeth appear, the kid must learn how to take care of the teeth to keep them clean, healthy, and strong. Here where parents play a significant role in teaching their infants, cultivating, inculcating good habits, and helping them during the daily routine to maintain dental, and oral health.
So, as a parent, what should you do? Let’s figure this out together.
Table of Contents
Teach Them to Clean Their Teeth Properly
For kids under two years old: healthy teeth eruption needs healthy gums! Wash your hands thoroughly, then clean their teeth with water only using a toothbrush specified for babies, or you can use sterile gauze. DON’T USE TOOTHPASTE!
For kids from 3 to 5 years old: at this age, it’s more likely for your tot to develop tooth decay. So you should pay attention to the following points:
- Watch your child not to swallow the toothpaste.
- Apply a pea-size amount of toothpaste, not less, not more.
- Although this one is hard for parents, you should prevent the kid from thumb-sucking habits, and if possible, reduce sugary foods and drinks intake.
- Last but not least, use children’s toothpaste which has a strawberry, orange flavor, or any flavor your infant loves.
You should brush your child’s teeth twice a day. The toothpaste should contain a low level of fluoride.
For kids from 6 to 9 years old: this is the time when your youngster loses all the milk teeth and replaces them with permanent ones, so you should start flossing once a day as well as brushing twice.
Take Them to The Dentist
It is never too early to take your newborn to see the dentist! It is recommended to schedule the first appointment in the best dental clinic in Dubai when they are six months old. If you couldn’t make it at this time, at least take the babe before they turn one.
After that, you should see the doctor every six months to make a general check on their teeth and overall oral health to make sure everything is good and okay.
Don’t be one of those parents who tend to hesitate because “milk teeth are not permanent and they are not worth the hassle”! Because it’s absolutely the opposite. Unhealthy teeth can affect the overall health of your little newborn.
For example, decayed teeth are a perfect environment for bacteria growth which can lead to serious dental issues, bad breath, and sometimes the doctor might have to extract the affected tooth, which is not a good thing of course.
When your dearest turns 10 years old, you should pay extra attention to teeth health because this is the time when every child starts to participate in different harmful activities with friends, and the chance of breaking a tooth increases.
Always check their teeth to see if they have a crooked or chipped tooth, also you should take into consideration that they might need to wear braces. Invisalign Dubai is a great option for teenagers, and most parents and children prefer to wear it because they are invisible and won’t affect the child’s self-confidence).
Let Them Start Taking Care by Themselves
At the age of three, your child can brush his/her teeth alone, just make sure to watch them while brushing to ensure they are doing it the right way, you should also check their teeth to see if they have cleaned them well.
About ten years old, kids can brush their teeth on their own without you supervising or helping them.
Finally, paying attention to your baby’s milk teeth and ensuring that they are healthy and strong enough will help these teeth persist for the longest time possible until all of their permanent teeth grow.
Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor about any concerns you have. Always smile and remind your kid to smile.
Author bio:
Dr. Nabil Mockbil is an Orthodontist who received his DDS in 2001 from Umea University in Sweden, regarded as having the best dentist programme in Sweden for undergraduates. He’s now the founder of Swedish Dental Clinic – Dubai Marina.