What Happens When You Don’t Brush Your Child’s Milk Teeth Every Day

Did you know that your child’s teeth begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy? The set of 20 pearly whites stays fully developed in the jaw, waiting to pop out at the right time. 

From the first smile to the first crawl, everything is a milestone for both parents and the child. And, how can we forget the first tooth! As exciting as it is to watch your baby’s first milky tooth coming out of his jaw, it is also important to start with necessary dental care from that moment only.

With so many things to take care of, it is easy to slip away from your little one’s dental care. The fact that milk teeth need utmost care similar to permanent teeth is a lesser emphasised fact. So, without any further ado, let’s take a closer look.

What Are Milk Teeth and Why Are They Important?

Milk teeth or baby teeth are the primary set of teeth that come out after about six months of age. They are smaller in size and are white. All the baby teeth have fully erupted when the child is about three years old. By the age of 5 or 6, milk teeth start to fall out and make way for permanent teeth.  

Milk teeth are more significant than one may imagine. Besides reserving the space for the future permanent set, Milk teeth influence the health of permanent teeth. Cavities in milk teeth could lead to increased risks of tooth decay in adult teeth as well.

Milk teeth also provide the face with an appearance and help develop speech in children. If milk teeth are healthy, they will help the baby chew the food properly so that the body absorbs nutrition effectively. Many parents believe that since milk teeth have a shorter duration and are anyway going to fall, they don’t require much attention and care. What’s true is that milk teeth do need utmost care, and negligence can have more consequences than expected. 

What If You Don’t Brush Your Child’s Milk Teeth Every Day?

In many cases, many children either begin to brush their teeth very late or do not brush regularly using the right technique. Whatever the reason, Since milk teeth have a thinner enamel cover than adult teeth, they are more prone to cavities. Cavities between milk teeth spread faster as well, and can also reach the adult teeth beneath. Children who don’t brush their teeth regularly are susceptible to frequent tooth pain because of cavities, are unable to chew their food properly, have bad breath, and may even get pronunciation difficulties.

How to Get Children to Brush Their Milk Teeth Daily

Children need encouragement to make a habit of brushing their teeth daily. Let’s check out the following ways you can excite your little one to brush his teeth regularly.

1. Bond With Your Child While Brushing

Parents are the best example for children. Set yourself a goal to brush your teeth twice a day, and your little one will eventually follow your example. Young kids often mimic the everyday things they see around them. 

2. Guide Him Through the Process

It is essential to follow a procedure while brushing teeth. As your child watches you brush, you can guide him on how to brush his teeth in a sing-song way. You can teach him to cover all the areas of his teeth, including the front, the back, and the chewing area. Talk about rinsing, flossing, and of course, tongue hygiene.

3. Opt for a Fun Way

If you plainly tell your child to brush his teeth in a circular motion, left and right, he will not take any interest in it. Instead, you can pick any of his favourite music and make it a teeth-brushing song. While brushing, you can play that song and groove with your child. Buying him dental products like Colgate Kids toothbrushes and toothpaste that care for their milk teeth in the best way while engaging your kid with its flavours. 

4. Use Storytime

You can use storytime to teach your little munchkin about the benefits of brushing daily and the consequences of not brushing regularly and properly. Using his favourite character in the story will also help in convincing him.

5. Rewards

Incentives work well in the case of children. You can reward your child with something extra, like when he starts brushing his teeth independently or when he does not require reminders to brush his teeth. But do not make rewards the only reason your child brushes his teeth.

How to Choose Right Oral Care Products?

With so many dental products out there, choosing the right one for your little one is important.

The ideal toothpaste for children aged 3-5 should be the one that is designed for milk teeth. One such example is Colgate Kids 3-5 Years Toothpaste, which protects milk against cavities and has a 50% lesser abrasive formula to clean them gently.

Child-sized toothbrushes, such as Colgate Kids Toothbrush 3-5 Yrs, come with extra soft bristles and a smaller head that can easily reach the nooks of your child’s mouth without hurting his gums. You can look for colourful toothbrushes with prints of animals and cartoon characters on them. The character prints alone will be able to excite him to brush his teeth daily. 

Important Tips for Your Child’s Dental Hygiene

It would be great to know some of the important facts when thinking of dental hygiene for your child:

1. Brushing teeth for two minutes twice a day is important for children.
2. Children aged three and up should start brushing with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
3. Make sure you guide your child on the right technique to brush or brush them yourself till the child is able to. This demonstration on how to brush your child’s teeth the right way by our expert is something you would find beneficial.
4. Keep your child’s sugar intake in check. Sugary foods and sweets, like chocolates, gummy candies, juices, etc., can easily erode the enamel. So, rinsing or brushing your child’s mouth after the sugary food intake will help.

We understand that parenting is not a walk in the park. A child’s health and future depend on his parent’s awareness of the right actions. And, when it comes to oral hygiene, it is better to take necessary precautions than wait for long-term teeth complications.

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.