Milk Teeth Care: Are You Doing It Right?

By Author: Midhul Mohandas
Total Articles: 1
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What are milk teeth?
Milk is the baby's teeth. It is the primary set of teeth in a human being that fall as the permanent set of teeth emerges. Expect toothing in your baby when he/she is 5-6 months old.

Predental care
Milk teeth care starts before the first pearly white bud pops up on your baby's gums. Here are the best ways of predental care for your baby.

Wipe the baby's gums twice a day with a soft, damp cloth.
Take care to wipe after feeding and before slumber time.

Pre-dental Care: The importance
Proper pre-dental care washes off bacteria from the baby's mouth and keeps it clean for a healthy milk tooth.
A botched attempt gradually leads to the formation of a sticky plaque(bacteria) which damages the infant's teeth.

Teething
When your baby turns 5-6 months old, expect teething. Teething can be uncomfortable for infants. Have you noticed your baby cry and fuss for no reason? Watch out, a baby tooth may pop out within a week!
Other teething symptoms are swollen gums, drooling, and a slight temperature.

How to help your kid relieve the pain?
...
... Let him chew a cold washcloth or clean and cool teething ring.
Rubbing your baby's gum with clean fingers can make him feel better.

How to clean baby teeth?
Start using a baby-specific toothbrush when teeth pop out. A toothbrush with soft bristles, a small head, and a large handle will be the most comfortable. Soaking the baby brush in warm water for 10 minutes before brushing can make the bristles softer.

When you start brushing, avoid toothpaste. Just wet the brush in warm water before brushing. Gradually start using toothpaste, as much as the quantity of grain. It is good to have discussions with your pediatrician about dental care. Take a moderate amount of toothpaste once your baby turns three years old.

Gradually, you will be able to select a toothpaste with which your kid is comfortable. Prefer the one with the ADA (American Dental Association) seal of acceptance. It is important to ensure your baby does not swallow toothpaste, as it is not recommended for babies to take in the concentrated fluorides present in the toothpaste.

It is ideal to brush 2 times a day, right in the morning and before sleep. Spend two minutes brushing the molars, which are the most used teeth to chew food. Replace the toothbrush every 4 months. Do not allow to take any sugary drinks or food after night brushing.

Train your child to rinse and spit neatly as he grows up. Monitor their brushing until they turn six years old. Make them watch how you brush and hence practice the right way of brushing their teeth.

Have you noticed brown spots on your kid's teeth?
That may be a decay symptom! Immediately take your kid to a proficient dentist in your locality for an exam. Early dental care ensures healthy teeth.

Keeping the toothbrush clean
Rinse the toothbrush well in tap water after use
Try to store the toothbrush upright in an open holder. This ensures air drying.
Replace the toothbrush once the bristles are frayed, or every 4 months

How to prevent early tooth decay?
Never let your baby go to sleep with a feeding bottle.
Avoid sugary drinks and food rich in sugar

Why should you take care of the milk teeth?
To impart good oral hygiene as the baby grow up
To make them realize bad cleaning habits are seriously damaging
And of course! clean milk teeth are cute baby smiles
Facilitates good eating habits
Helps to talk clearly

Are you doing it right? Great! Else try to do it right from this moment.