All good parents want to ensure that their child is healthy. However, it can be surprisingly common for parents to forget about their child’s oral health. Protecting your infant’s oral health from start to finish is a lifelong pursuit, but as they get older, their oral health will require more care. Getting an early start on good oral health practices is one of the best ways to help protect their oral health from problems such as malocclusion, gum disease, and tooth decay. Our team at Smile Solutions is here to provide a simple parent primer for pediatric dental care and how to best implement good dental hygiene practices for a healthy start to their oral health. 

Our Parent’s Primer For Pediatric Dental Hygiene: What Should You Do For Your Child’s Oral Health?

 Your child’s oral health plays an essential role in their lives – it frames the way they smile and interacts with people and is often the first indicator of any problems with their health. Babies during the first year will start to have their baby teeth pop out from the gums, and this stage is crucial as it can determine how vulnerable they are to things such as cavities and tooth misalignments. This means that care for their oral health starts immediately. Some tips you can use to care for their gums and teeth include: 

• Use a washcloth and wipe down their gums to remove any leftover breastmilk, which can quickly cause cavities.
• When their teeth begin to arrive, brush their teeth with an infant toothbrush and a tiny bit of toothpaste. 
• Once their teeth touch, you can begin flossing in between the teeth.
• By the time they reach two years old, they can begin learning how to brush their teeth and spit out toothpaste after brushing. 

But even before that, soon-to-be parents can proactively respond to their child’s oral health by taking care of their own health in return. Mothers who have unhealthy diets or poor dental health can increase the risk of bacteria exposure to developing newborns. Pregnant mothers can take care of their health through the following: 

• Pregnant women need to arrange for an exam and cleaning as part of their second-trimester care to reduce the risk of transmitting bacteria to the womb.
• All cosmetic dental treatments should be avoided until after the child is born.
• After the child is born, their first dental appointment should take place by their first birthday, and if the tooth should erupt before their first birthday, then their first appointment should be scheduled immediately. 

Through the help of your pediatric or family dentist, they will be able to help teach you how to better care for your child’s oral health as they get older and regularly schedule appointments to keep track of your oral health. 

Learn About Pediatric Dental Care at Smile Solutions

At Smile Solutions, you can speak with dentists and gain valuable information about pediatric dental care in Garden City South, NY, for all of our patients. Contact Dr. Robert Berg to schedule an appointment by calling (516) 872-8780 today!