During pregnancy, mothers often prepare to take care of their newborn baby. After leaving the hospital, it’s time to put everything you’ve learned into practice. One of the most important care is the birth of milk teeth. Although they are temporary, they can develop cavities and affect the health of your permanent teeth if not cared for properly. Pediatric dentist Danilo Duarte, from the Paulista Association of Dental Surgeons (APCD), shares five important tips for maintaining the baby’s oral health.
Baby oral hygiene should start early
“After the birth of the baby and even before the eruption of baby teeth, you should start oral hygiene. The orientation is to gently clean the baby’s gums, cheeks and tongue with a gauze soaked in filtered or heated water. There are also those who prefer to opt for a silicone fingertip, which simulates a child’s toothbrush. In that period, there is no need to sanitize several times a day – two are enough. In this way, in addition to cleaning itself, the baby will get used to the habit of taking care of oral hygiene early.”
Milk tooth is always important
“Many parents imagine that baby teeth are not important, because they will be replaced by permanent teeth. This idea is wrong, and can bring a series of problems to the baby. Thus, the first visit to the dentist in the first days or months of the baby’s life is fundamental, so that the professional can explain to the parents all the importance of the baby’s oral health, as well as create an affective and professional bond between the family nucleus. , the baby and the dental surgeon. You milk teeth have fundamental importance in eating and chewing, in speech and in aesthetics – being responsible for maintaining spaces until the eruption of permanent teeth.”
Watch your child’s teeth
“Parents (family nucleus) are of extreme importance in the system of maintaining a healthy life for their baby – they must be permanently attentive to the signs of any alterations in the child’s mouth. The first sign of decay is white and opaque spots, as well as bleeding gums can indicate gum disease. In addition, it is important for parents to be vigilant with regard to the child’s breathing, swallowing and chewing, in order to avoid the systematic use of pacifiers and bottles, as well as to observe other inappropriate habits that may start at this stage of life.”
Time to start brushing baby teeth
“Milk teeth begin to ‘appear’ in the baby’s mouth around six months of life. Between 24 and 30 months, the deciduous dentition is already complete. The most opportune time to start brushing is precisely when the first tooth appears. It is worth remembering that brushing should be done by parents (or qualified caregivers), using a children’s brush, with a small head and ultra-soft bristles. The toothpaste used is a fundamental aid in controlling caries and should be indicated – especially those containing fluoride. However, because it is therapeutic, parents should be careful about the amount. The dentist should also be consulted about the use of fluoride, according to the child’s needs.”
Food is aligned with oral health
“Once the breastfeeding phase is over, there is a gradual introduction of baby food, semi-solid and solid foods. At this stage, it is essential to offer the child healthy foods, rich in fiber and little industrialized. Solid (hard) foods stimulate chewing, which, in turn, contributes to the growth and development of the face and dental arch. It also increases salivation, which helps to clean and stabilize the pH of the oral cavity. It is important to emphasize that the excessive use of sugar is not only harmful to teeth, but also to health in general. Therefore, parents should take very good care of food in early childhood, always alongside perfect oral hygiene. When in doubt, it is always advisable to consult a pediatric dentist.”
During pregnancy, mothers often prepare to take care of their newborn baby. After leaving the hospital, it’s time to put everything you’ve learned into practice. One of the most important care is the birth of milk teeth. Although they are temporary, they can develop cavities and affect the health of your permanent teeth if not cared for properly. Pediatric dentist Danilo Duarte, from the Paulista Association of Dental Surgeons (APCD), shares five important tips for maintaining the baby’s oral health.
Baby oral hygiene should start early
“After the birth of the baby and even before the eruption of baby teeth, you should start oral hygiene. The orientation is to gently clean the baby’s gums, cheeks and tongue with a gauze soaked in filtered or heated water. There are also those who prefer to opt for a silicone fingertip, which simulates a child’s toothbrush. In that period, there is no need to sanitize several times a day – two are enough. In this way, in addition to cleaning itself, the baby will get used to the habit of taking care of oral hygiene early.”
Milk tooth is always important
“Many parents imagine that baby teeth are not important, because they will be replaced by permanent teeth. This idea is wrong, and can bring a series of problems to the baby. Thus, the first visit to the dentist in the first days or months of the baby’s life is fundamental, so that the professional can explain to the parents all the importance of the baby’s oral health, as well as create an affective and professional bond between the family nucleus. , the baby and the dental surgeon. You milk teeth have fundamental importance in eating and chewing, in speech and in aesthetics – being responsible for maintaining spaces until the eruption of permanent teeth.”
Watch your child’s teeth
“Parents (family nucleus) are of extreme importance in the system of maintaining a healthy life for their baby – they must be permanently attentive to the signs of any alterations in the child’s mouth. The first sign of decay is white and opaque spots, as well as bleeding gums can indicate gum disease. In addition, it is important for parents to be vigilant with regard to the child’s breathing, swallowing and chewing, in order to avoid the systematic use of pacifiers and bottles, as well as to observe other inappropriate habits that may start at this stage of life.”
Time to start brushing baby teeth
“Milk teeth begin to ‘appear’ in the baby’s mouth around six months of life. Between 24 and 30 months, the deciduous dentition is already complete. The most opportune time to start brushing is precisely when the first tooth appears. It is worth remembering that brushing should be done by parents (or qualified caregivers), using a children’s brush, with a small head and ultra-soft bristles. The toothpaste used is a fundamental aid in controlling caries and should be indicated – especially those containing fluoride. However, because it is therapeutic, parents should be careful about the amount. The dentist should also be consulted about the use of fluoride, according to the child’s needs.”
Food is aligned with oral health
“Once the breastfeeding phase is over, there is a gradual introduction of baby food, semi-solid and solid foods. At this stage, it is essential to offer the child healthy foods, rich in fiber and little industrialized. Solid (hard) foods stimulate chewing, which, in turn, contributes to the growth and development of the face and dental arch. It also increases salivation, which helps to clean and stabilize the pH of the oral cavity. It is important to emphasize that the excessive use of sugar is not only harmful to teeth, but also to health in general. Therefore, parents should take very good care of food in early childhood, always alongside perfect oral hygiene. When in doubt, it is always advisable to consult a pediatric dentist.”
