12 Tips for Dental Health of Babies and Toddlers- Elite Dental Care Tracy

“Childhood is presumed to be a blessing but only if the child remains healthy.”

Babies are considered to be a sign of ecstasy as they bring a bundle of happiness to the family and the household. However, the parents and the guardians must take proper care of a kid’s health so that he/she can rejoice in childhood and enjoy every bit of it.

Taking care of health not only means to provide them with a good diet and nourishment. It is something more than that. We usually hear about the physical health and mental health of children but we forget about their oral health.

The best dental care for kids is quite essential, and something that cannot be compromised. If a tooth gets decayed at a young age, it has to be treated at the earliest otherwise it may lead to serious concerns at a later stage of life.

Now the question arises as to how can we ensure the good dental health of our kids?

Do the parents enroll in a pediatric dentistry course to clearly understand the toddler’s dental health?

That’s not so necessary unless you wish to become a pro in the subject.

You can ensure the best dental care for your kids by following a few steps as mentioned below.

Choose a Perfect set of Toothpaste and Toothbrush

Firstly, buy a toothbrush that would be convenient for the kid to use. Additionally, if you wish that your kids fall in love with the habit of brushing the teeth, you can lure them by buying a fancy toothbrush that has cartoon faces on it. This would create a good vibe for the kids and they’ll snatch away the toothbrush from your hands and start exploring its usage on their own.

Secondly, if a toothpaste constitutes a lot of chemicals or ingredients that may not suit your child’s oral health, it may lead to adverse consequences. Hence consult with a pediatric dentist and find out which toothpaste would be ideal for your child.

2. Brushing the Teeth Twice in a Day

Clean the child’s teeth twice a day. Initially, you must brush their teeth by gently holding their face and moving the toothbrush in circles and up and down. Eventually, you can teach them to do it.

3. Inculcate the Habit of Brushing the Teeth in Them

It takes a good deal of time and effort to inculcate good habits in kids. You have to become a kid to understand a kids’ mindset and conveniently get along with them. When you teach them how to brush the teeth, they may not follow you. Either they may end up eating the toothpaste or hurting their gums with the toothbrush.

A better trick to teach them would be that you start brushing your teeth and demonstrate to them how to do it. By this time you would have realized it well that kids love to copy what elders do. Hence when they find you brushing teeth, they’ll copy you, and by this, you don’t have to strain much. You can play with the kids and make them learn good habits as a part of the game.

4. Get Rid of Unhealthy Habits

Kids usually suck their thumbs or fingers when a new set of teeth arrives. This habit can lead to the misalignment of the teeth set. This misalignment leads to the usage of braces in the future to align the teeth.

5. Limit the usage of Feeding Bottles and Sippy Cups

Kids start consuming liquids using feeding bottles at an early age, and it’s equally necessary that they stop its usage after a few months. Do not allow the baby to sleep with the feeding bottle in the mouth. Prolonged usage of feeding bottles may damage the teeth. To switch them from the habit of feeding bottles, sippy cups are used. But the usage of these cups must also be limited after a short span of time. These things speed up tooth decay in some cases.

6. Proper Food Habits

When we speak about oral health, one thing that matters the most is the food. Right from childhood inculcates the habit of following good food habits in your kid. It’s natural for a kid to be addicted to chocolates, biscuits, and confectioneries owing to the delicious taste. If you chide them or stop them from consuming those foods, they may turn rebellious. Instead, as a parent, you have to must educate them in a friendly manner.

Kids love stories and it is the best way to teach them crucial life lessons. Weave fascinating stories for them and educate them as to why the consumption of such foods is unhealthy. Make them realize the worth of a balanced diet so that this lesson stays with them forever.

7. Limit the Intake of Sweet Juices

Parents may have an assumption that liquid juices are good for their child’s health. But rarely do they realize that these sugary juices may result in dental problems for kids. Just like the chocolates and cookies, the intake of these sugary juices must also be limited.

8. Give them Plain Milk to Drink

It is a good choice to give plain milk to the kids instead of adding those chocolaty powders. When in a young age, plain milk will provide the essential nutrients to the body without affecting dental health. Preferably you can also avoid adding sugar to the milk.

9. Immediate Treatment of the Cavities and Tooth Decay

In childhood, the teeth are quite sensitive, and increased consumption of sugary foods may lead to cavities. Cavities are the holes formed in the teeth leading the tooth to decay. If at all a decay occurs, make sure that you get it treated immediately from the best dentist. If left unattended, the decay would widen and lead to severe dental issues in the future.

10. Ensure Oral Hygiene while Playing Outdoors

Children love to play outdoors and indulge in activities like playing in the grounds and fields. Let them play with liberty but also ensure that their mouth is covered and no dust enters their mouth as the dirt can affect their oral health. Also, take care that they don’t hurt their mouth or buccal cavity while playing.

11. Educate Oral Hygiene

Educate the kids not to insert toys or any other stuff in the mouth which may damage the teeth or lead the gums to bleed. Some toys have chemicals and insertion of such things in the mouth can lead to adverse consequences.

12. Regular Dental Check-up

You might be taking proper care of your child’s dental health but still, a periodic visit to a pediatric dentist is vital to ensure there is no tooth decay or any other oral health issue. Sometimes the buccal cavity of the toddlers might seem fine, but only when a dentist examines, they find potential dental problems kids might possess. Hence it is quite necessary to pay a regular visit to a dentist for a kid’s good dental health.

Another concern for the parents is how to choose the best dentist for their kids. For instance, if you consider Children’s Dental Fun Zone, it is an ideal pediatric dental clinic with a friendly atmosphere that kids enjoy visiting the place. Not only is the atmosphere of the clinic friendly, but also be assured about the best dental health as Dr. Raman Singh is one of the best dentists in Tracy.

Are you wondering how is the atmosphere friendly for the kids at this place? Let me clarify that.

On visiting the clinic, you find that it houses the vibes that babies and kids would love. Games, rides, pictures of cartoons, and similar pieces of stuff grab kids’ attention, and they do not cry while visiting the clinic.

These are a few tips that you can follow to maintain the good dental health of your babies and toddlers.