Three Reasons to Care for Your Child’s Milk Teeth and Three Recommended Ways to Do So!

The birth of a baby marks the beginning of a new phase in the lives of the parents. For a while, they will be dealing with frequent feeding, diaper changes, and sleepless nights. However, one day, the little one will flash a toothless smile that will melt all the stress away. Gradually, her milk teeth will make way and peep to say ‘hello’! They will be around until your child grows a permanent set. Therefore, it’s important for you to know how to care for them!

Yes, milk teeth need just as much attention as permanent teeth. It is because they are soft, and kids being kids will take several risks without knowing they could be damaging their teeth. If your kid has an appetite for adventure and you are worried it might affect their primary teeth health, you will find this article extremely helpful. Be sure to read till the end to know some effective ways to care for your tiny tot’s milky whites.

Three Reasons to Care for Your Child’s Milk Teeth

As mentioned earlier, kids’ milk teeth are soft, and therefore, they are susceptible to early damage. While one might think that the child will grow a permanent set of teeth, it is essential to care for the primary teeth to ensure their oral health and general well-being. Here are some reasons why you should pay close attention to your little one’s primary teeth:

1. Healthy Milk Teeth Help Maintain Your Child’s General Health: Did you know babies’ teeth can start decaying from the bottle-feeding phase, and when they grow, the damage can affect their nutrition? Teeth, as we all know, are essential to bite and chew to break food particles into smaller particles to help us swallow and digest. Your child’s developing digestive system will need healthy primary teeth to chew and grind solids appropriately. Any damage to their dental whites due to lack of care will compromise their biting and chewing. Therefore, it is extremely important that milk teeth are not taken for granted, and they are cared for from the beginning.
2. Milk Teeth Help Kids Speak: As babies grow, their aahs and coos transition to babbles, which later turn into more sounds, some of which resemble words. Eventually, they pick up those words and speak them clearly. Your child’s milk teeth play an important role in controlling the airflow out of the mouth when they speak. It’s because of the milk teeth that she may transition from “I tawt I taw a puddy tat” to “I thought I saw a pussy cat”.
3. Milk Teeth Aid the Development of the Jaw: Primary teeth make space for the permanent ones to grow in their proper position and right direction. They allow your little one to close her mouth properly and breathe through her nose. They also help ensure appropriate positioning of the tongue inside the mouth. All these factors aid in the growth and development of your little one’s jaw. Timely care of the milk teeth will ensure normal growth of the jaw, which will lead to well-aligned teeth and a bright broad smile. With proper care, your munchkin may not need much orthodontic treatment in the future, too.

Now that you know why you need to care for your tiny tot’s milky whites, let’s look at how you can go about it. Read on for some recommended ways to ensure your munchkin’s dental health.

Three Recommended Ways to Care for Your Child’s Milk Teeth

With these recommended ways, you will prepare your tiny tot for a healthy tomorrow!

1. Know When to Start Maintaining Your Baby’s Oral and Dental Hygiene: Food particles left in the mouth are the primary reason for tooth decay. Your baby’s teeth are susceptible to damage from an early age if oral hygiene is not made a part of her regular life. If you have an infant, use a super-soft infant toothbrush to remove any particles stuck in your munchkin’s gums and then wipe the inside of the mouth with a clean, ultrasoft towel after every feed. While this dental care method for infants is harmless, you may consult with your pedodontist to know what works best for your baby. It is also recommended that parents start brushing their babies’ milk teeth when the first tooth comes in. This might seem absurd to some, but doing so will ensure you keep the tooth and its surroundings healthy, making it an appropriate environment for the other milk teeth to grow in.
2. Invest in Good Quality Products: Your child’s dental care will need a little bit of investment – your time and kid-specific products. You must take good care of your li’l one’s tender teeth. You can get an ultrasoft toothbrush and an age-appropriate toothpaste, such as Colgate Kids Toothbrush and Toothpaste. Start with Colgate Kids 0-2 Yrs toothpaste, which is designed to be gentle on babies’ teeth and is completely safe as it has no artificial ingredients. As your li’l one grows up and starts gorging on a snack every now and then, you can move to Colgate Kids 2-5 Yrs toothpaste, which protects against cavities while gently cleaning the teeth.
3. Teach the Right Brushing Technique: Regular brushing is an effective way for kids to maintain oral hygiene and keep the sugar monsters at bay. Ensure your child uses a soft toothbrush, such as Colgate Kids Toothbrush, with pea-sized, kid-safe toothpaste, to brush the outside and the inside of the teeth twice a day. Parents should supervise daily brushing. Ensure children spit out after brushing their teeth to minimise swallowing. Colgate Kids Toothbrush, with its age-appropriate head and soft bristles, will ensure your child’s milk teeth are sparkling clean and healthy without any damage.

With these tips, your baby can have healthy milk teeth until permanent ones replace them. You will also be able to instil this useful habit in your child early on. Every time your child will flash her dazzling smile, she will be thanking you for the primary dental care you provided to her!

If you wish to know more about Colgate Kids Oral Care Range, view them here.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics for children. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

References:

• WebMD – Caring for babies’ teeth
• Dentistry.uic.edu
• Clovedental.in
• Healthychildren.org
• WebMD – Dental health for your child’s teeth

Also Read:

Common Teeth Problems in Children
Broken Teeth in Kids
Tooth Decay In Children