Early Childhood Tooth Decay Prevention
Once babies and kids start to get teeth – they often experience tooth decay, which they get as a result of sweet liquids consumption. Milk, formula, juices – all these liquids contain natural sugar, on which bacteria tend to grow and develop acids which cause damage to the teeth.
Nowadays many parents think that milk tooth decay is not a problem since children will get new teeth once milk ones fall out – this is a popular misconception, which is completely wrong since children need to have healthy and strong milk teeth. With their help kids consume nutritious foods they need for normal development and they shouldn’t experience any discomfort in the process. Plus, milk teeth are placeholders for the adult ones, which is another reason they should be always well taken care of.
How to Protect Baby Milk Teeth from Caries
To care of milk teeth the right way and prevent tooth decay on early stages in kids’ early childhood we advice to do the following:
- Never give your baby a pacifier dipped in something sweet – like syrup or sugar;
- Don’t give your baby a sweet drink (including milk) at nighttime or before nap – during sleep saliva flow decreases, thus the best thing before naptime is pure water;
- Wipe the gums of your baby with washcloth or soft wet pad after each feeding; you may also massage the gums without teeth for better blood flow & teeth growth;
- Start brushing (without toothpaste) child’s teeth the moment first tooth grows out;
- Schedule regular check up visits of your child to the dentist starting from his or her first birthday – this way you’ll ensure that your childs’ teeth are developing the right way;
- Make sure your child consumes healthy foods without extra sugar.
