Parents play a crucial role in their children's tooth care by ensuring their children get started on the right path to optimal dental health. This involves overseeing children's tooth care at home while also helping them develop healthy dental habits and ensuring they see a pediatric dentist regularly.
Parents will need to keep their child's mouth clean until they can do so on their own. They should ensure their child uses fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush at a 45-degree angle. They should also make sure the child brushes their teeth, gums, and tongue. Here is a general guide for children's tooth care at home by age.
Before the first tooth comes in, parents must gently clean the gums with a damp washcloth after each feeding. Once the first tooth comes in (around six months), brush the child's tooth twice a day for two minutes with a dab of toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice.
Continue to help the child brush twice a day, but use about a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Make sure the child spits the toothpaste out. Once the child's teeth come into contact with each other, start helping them floss once daily.
Every child develops differently, but on average, children can start brushing their own teeth around ages 6 and 7. However, parents should still supervise their children to make sure they are using proper bruising techniques. Children may also add mouthwash to their routine at this age as long as they know that they need to spit it out.
What and how a child eats and drinks is an important part of children's tooth care. Limiting sugary snacks and drinks is good for a child's physical health and important for their teeth. Encourage kids to eat fruits, veggies, whole grains, and dairy products. Children should be off the bottle and drinking from a cup around age 1. Also, do not let a child go to bed with a bottle or sippy cup of milk or juice, and encourage them to drink water whenever possible.
Parents can enlist the help of their child's pediatric dentist to keep their teeth safe from injury and protect them from unhealthy oral habits. Do not let children get in the habit of chewing on hard objects such as pens or ice. Thumbsucking beyond 4 years of age can affect tooth alignment, and parents should talk to their dentist about ways to correct this habit. Tooth grinding is another common issue a pediatric dentist can address with a custom-made mouthguard worn at night. Children involved in contact sports are especially prone to dental injuries, such as broken or knocked-out teeth. Parents should talk to their child's dentist about fitting their child for a mouthguard to protect against mouth injuries during sports.
Even with the best prevention efforts, dental emergencies can still happen, and parents need to be ready. Acting fast in a dental emergency can save a child's tooth. Talk to the child's pediatric dentist about where to take the child in a dental emergency, such as a severe toothache or knocked-out tooth. A pediatric dentist can provide helpful instructions on handling common childhood dental emergencies. This way, parents will be prepared ahead of time.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that children have their first dental appointment by their first birthday or within six months of the eruption of their first tooth, whichever comes first. Then, the child should see a dentist once every 6 months after that (some children may need to go more often). These visits are crucial for keeping children's teeth clean of plaque and tartar that cannot be removed by brushing and flossing alone.
Additionally, these checkups allow dentists to catch dental problems early when they can be easier to treat. This will help avoid needing more extensive treatment like a baby root canal (pulpotomy). Furthermore, taking children to the dentist for routine examinations and cleanings will help them start to develop a rapport with their dentist and have a positive association with dental care as they grow up.
As parents, you play a crucial role in your child's dental health future. As a pediatric dentist, Hudson Valley Pediatric Dentistry wants to give parents all the tools they need to care for their child's developing mouth. If you have more questions about children's tooth care, our team is happy to help.
Request an appointment here: https://www.hvkidsmiles.com or call Hudson Valley Pediatric Dentistry at (845) 363-4177 for an appointment in our Middletown office.
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