Child Dental Care Tips for First-Time Parents

Being a first-time parent comes with its fair share of obstacles and tribulations. As much as you’d want, there’s no one-size-fits-all handbook to mastering all aspects of parenting and you learn most things along the way. One thing you can’t compromise on, however, is the dental hygiene of your child.

Dental care needs to start early to act as a preventative measure, as opposed to being a corrective measure. As stressful as that sounds, we’ve got you covered with the most important child dental care tips any first-time parent needs to know:

Know when to Start

Contrary to common belief, a child’s dental care doesn’t need to start when their full set of primary teeth have come in. This process starts around 4 months after they’re born and that is when parents should start brushing their teeth.

In fact, before the primary teeth even begin to come in, you should wipe your baby’s gums clean every time they have consumed anything.

When to visit the dentist

Visiting the dentist for regular checkups is a routine that needs to be established from an early age. As soon as your baby’s teeth start emerging, take them to the dentist so you can address dental problems before they even begin.

Prevention is better than cure

Knowing what to do and what not to do can help you avoid certain practices that may harm your baby’s teeth in the long run.

Avoid adding sugary drinks, soft drinks, juices, and sweetened water to your baby’s diet. You can also make sure the medicines your child is consuming aren’t too sweet—they may be adding to your problems instead of reducing them!

Know what you’re putting in their mouths

During the first few months of having a child, a pacifier is your best friend. To make sure you’re doing what’s best for you and your baby, clean and sterilize the pacifiers regularly.

Bacteria can also be transferred through sharing of spoons or straws and can be damaging for the infant’s vulnerable gums. While you may want to test whether the porridge tastes just fine before you feed it to your child, resist the urge to use the same spoon to do it.

Make it a routine

The best way to teach a child a habit is to make it a part of their everyday routine. From the age of 3, you can supervise them brushing their teeth twice a day until they can do it on their own. To encourage them further, let them pick their own toothbrushes and toothpastes depending on the colors and characters they like most—this’ll make them excited to brush their teeth every morning and night.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends fluoridated toothpastes as soon as your baby gets their first tooth. This, coupled with flossing, will ensure your child escapes the dreaded tooth decay.

To make caring for your first child’s dental hygiene easier, Advanced Dental Center in Germantown, MD, is the place to go. Choose from a wide range of services offered to make sure you and your baby have the smile you deserve! Whether you’re looking for fluoride treatment, cosmetic dentistry or veneers, this is the solution!

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