How to take care of the dental hygiene of your kid?

Dr. Firoz Lalani

Medically Reviewed By Dr. Firoz Lalani

Table of Contents

It is necessary to teach your kid about proper dental hygiene, as it is imperative for their overall health. Taking care of your kid’s dental hygiene from a very young age will help your child to be away from long term critical conditions in the future. Good oral health makes your child more confident.

Kids Dental care

Taking appropriate care is of primary importance for strengthening teeth. As the child grows, their dental hygiene practices also change with time. Parents must learn and know the right style of taking care of their kids’ oral hygiene according to their age. It will set your child on the right path for a lifetime of excellent oral hygiene.

But the question is how to ensure proper dental hygiene for your kid? Most importantly, how to implement adequate steps for the same? So, we aim to discuss some appropriate measures for taking care of the dental hygiene of your kid with this blog post.

 

Taking care of the oral hygiene of an infant

Babies are born with all their teeth, but they are embedded in the gums. Thus, their teeth are not visible through naked eyes. However, it is crucial to take care of their gums because healthy gums will give birth to healthy teeth.

  • Clean your baby’s bum with a soft washcloth after feeding. It will keep away infectious bacteria’s.
  • Usually, the gums start swelling at six months as the baby’s body starts preparing itself for the growth of teeth from the gums. At this stage give them a clean teething ring and use a soft bristle brush without toothpaste to massage their gums.
  • It is a healthy habit to start weaning your child at 12 months. Limit sugary and sweet beverages. Wean them through a bottle and at this phase you can also give them water to drink.
  • Children abruptly catch cavities if proper dental hygiene is not maintained. It can also lead to complicated situations. Therefore, from an initial stage, it is important to have regular dental checkups to ensure excellent oral hygiene of the kid.

Taking care of the oral hygiene of an infant

Babies are born with all their teeth, but they are embedded in the gums. Thus, their teeth are not visible through naked eyes. However, it is crucial to take care of their gums because healthy gums will give birth to healthy teeth.

  • Clean your baby’s bum with a soft washcloth after feeding. It will keep away infectious bacterias.
  • Usually, the gums start swelling at six months as the baby’s body starts preparing itself for the growth of teeth from the gums. At this stage give them a clean teething ring and use a soft bristle brush without toothpaste to massage their gums.
  • It is a healthy habit to start weaning your child at 12 months. Limit sugary and sweet beverages. Wean them through a bottle and at this phase you can also give them water to drink.
  • Children abruptly catch cavities if proper dental hygiene is not maintained. It can also lead to complicated situations. Therefore, from an initial stage, it is important to have regular dental checkups to ensure excellent oral hygiene of the kid.

Taking care of the oral hygiene of a child (2-8 years)

  • Children like to do all the tasks on their own at this phase. They can clean their teeth properly, but they have not achieved enough manual dexterity in cleaning their teeth thoroughly. So the parents could let them brush their teeth initially and then can follow-up to help them with deep cleaning. It is advised to parents to make brushing teeth a family event so that children can observe, learn, and enjoy brushing and flossing.
  • Fluoride is very important as it makes your child’s teeth strong by hardening the enamel. It also prevents cavities and tooth infections. Make sure you are using a fluoridated toothpaste. If your water does not contain fluoride, your child may need fluoride supplements. Consult a dentist and explore the best options in this case.

kids dental care

Taking care of the oral hygiene of a preteen (8+ years)

During this age, permanent teeth start coming out vigorously. Your child may face various dental issues at this stage of life. It is most important to take care of dental hygiene at this time.

  • Preteens may lose interest in oral hygiene at this age as they are more conscious about their looks. Thus, it is essential to remind them of the importance of dental hygiene.
  • Make sure, your child is brushing their teeth twice a day. Brushing teeth should be a wholesome experience of an entire two minutes to fight effectively against infectious bacterias. Brushing teeth in the right way also removes all the debris from the mouth.
  • Flossing is crucial at this age to ensure thorough cleaning between the permanent teeth.
  • Make sure children who wear braces floss their teeth daily and keep extra care of their teeth.

Conclusion

It is essential to take care of the dental hygiene of the kids at every stage. There are different ways of taking care of oral hygiene as per the age. It is recommended to take care of the cleaning of the gums at infancy while it is advised to teach happy and healthy brushing practices for 2 to 8 years. Children during pre-teens may lose their interest in oral hygiene but it is the responsibility of parents to remind them of the importance of their dental hygiene. Make sure your child is taking extra care of their teeth during pres-teens. They should brush their teeth twice a day and floss regularly. Good oral health not only makes teeth strong and straight but also boosts the confidence of the children and motivates them to communicate actively in society.

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