How To Take Good Care Of Your Child's Teeth
If you are a new parent, or about to have a bundle of joy soon, and wondering how to care for your little one’s teeth, you are asking the right questions. Unfortunately it is seen that a majority of parents usually do not pay much heed to their kids’ teeth, ignoring proper hygiene, letting them eat too much candy, simply because these are not permanent teeth. It is seen in practically every Dental Clinic in India has, that kids get brought in only when they are in pain from bad cavities and rotting teeth. Kids tend to face many kind of dental problems, such as irregular front teeth, teeth misalignment, protruding teeth, teeth disarrangement in the early ages because of the use of pacifier or thumb-sucking, finger-sucking and lip-sucking habits. Even though all of this is treatable with the help of invisible braces, several parents refuse to invest in kid’s invisible braces because of the Invisalign cost thinking that the adult teeth would come in better. However, infected or misaligned teeth can lead to problems even in adult teeth. Thus, it is essential to take very good care of your kids’ teeth even if they will fall out later. Here are a few things you must do.
Clean Your Infants Gumpads
It is a common misconception that you have to wait till your baby is on solid food old. Start brushing your infant’s teeth everyday, even if they are strictly breastfed, from the moment you see the first tooth poking out of the gum. You can use soft silicone finger brushes after 6 months when the first teeth pops in, that gently clean away any food particles and prevent the growth of bacteria in the mouth. Gumpads can be cleaned with the help of a muslin cloth dipped in a toothpaste-diluted water. For 6 months to infants, only rice-grain size of fluoridated toothpaste is okay, for 2 years old to 6 years old pea size amount is okay and for 6 years and above kid, adult size portion is enough. Brushing your infant’s teeth also helps stimulate the gum, improving its blood flow. This reduces gum swelling and pain, therefore making the process of teething much easier, and more comfortable.
Make Brushing A Habit
When your little one has had all their baby teeth, it is absolutely essential that you do not skip brushing twice a day. When you make regular brushing a habit, your kids will learn good habits early so that when they are old enough to brush by themselves, they know better than to skip brushing. Doctors at a leading Dental Clinic, India recommend that parents should lead by example and brush with their tots every day, twice, to show the way. Children learn quicker by emulating their parents.
Follow a Balanced Diet
Diet plays a huge part in our health, but it is even more crucial for a growing child’s dental health. Growing kids need a lot of nutrients, especially calcium, so make sure to include a ton of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and proteins in their everyday diet. Encourage them to chew fruits instead of pureeing them, as the mechanical action and motion of chewing and biting raw fruits and vegetables makes the jaw stronger and keeps teeth healthier by cleaning the tooth surface. After all, ‘eating apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is a legit true phrase. It is seen that a lot of adults could avoid kid’s braces later in life, if they had consumed less juices and purees.
Avoid Sugar Rich Diet
It is no secret that kids absolutely love candy, soda, chocolates and all things sweet. Unfortunately, these cause massive damage to their teeth, leading to cavities, pain and rotting teeth. Moreover, when the sugar is broken down in the mouth, the acids that are released erode the enamel, causing sensitivity. On that note, extremely sour candy also harms the enamel in the same way. While it is not possible to completely stop sweets, but make it a rule to rinse the mouth thoroughly after an occasional sweet treat. Replacing sucrose with fructose i.e. natural sugar, such as honey, jaggery, strawberry, bananas and mangoes to fulfill sugar cravings healthily should be an ideal choice for a well-balanced diet. Also, the frequency of sugar intake matters instead of quantity.
Proper Protection
Kids can be messy, careless and absolutely reckless, when it comes to safety, hence, it is your job, as a parent to reduce the risks of injury to their teeth an mouth. A large part of teeth braces cost in India could have been effectively avoided with better protection. If your kids are into sports, encourage them to wear protective helmets, or mouth protectors while playing. If they have mildly crooked teeth or have had braces in the past, talk to your pediatric dentist about retainers to keep their teeth in shape while growing.
First Dental Visit by the First Birthday
It is of utmost importance that you take your kids to the dentist twice a year, even if their teeth seem absolutely healthy. Often kids start developing cavities, but there’s no sign until it’s deep and painful. Your child’s first dental visit should be by 6 months of age until his or her first birthday and not later than that. Regular check up can help nip any problems in the bud. Don’t be afraid if your dentist recommends braces in case your child has misalignment due to trauma or protruding teeth. Teeth braces cost in India is quite affordable for kids, but that little investment will give them well-aligned teeth for life!
Starting proper oral hygiene and care early will save your kids a lot of pain and discomfort. Moreover, imbibing good habits early encourages them to be responsible adults, who know the value of their teeth.
Cosmodent India is an ISO certified multi-specialty dental clinic chain with branches spread across the country. We have the latest and the most groundbreaking technology in dental medicine, as well as top dental surgeons, pediatric specialists and surgeons, pain experts and more. Our dental setup is quite calming and soothing for kids where they don’t witness any anxiety, in fact we have laughing gas, nitrous oxide sedation, and painless injections. Our pediatrics unit is highly recommended and trusted by parents, and has won us several accolades, making us the best dental clinic in Bangalore for your kids. We believe that in order to get kids to cooperate, we have to think in their terms. Thus, we have created a safe area, which is designed to calm stressed out kids, and stimulate their senses, taking the fear out of them, so that our little patients come to their appointments smiling. Our paediatric staff is highly trained to handle kids with anxiety and get them to relax. When it comes to your kids’ oral care, Cosmodent is the answer!