Basics of Oral Hygiene for Kids

Keeping baby’s teeth clean is an important part of maintaining their overall health. Good oral health starts as soon as the baby’s first tooth erupts. As baby’s teeth are the space holders for the permanent teeth, proper care is essential. This article contains some tips for maintaining oral hygiene of kids.

Oral hygiene basics

• Brushing
• How often: Baby’s teeth are more prone to tooth decay as soon as they are visible. Brushing twice a day regularly is the first step towards maintaining oral hygiene. In a hurry, many parents will not brush their child’s teeth or may even skip it. As a parent, you should teach your child not only how to look after their teeth but also importance of brushing.
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  Correct technique: Make your child stand on a stool in front of you, face a mirror and brush his/her teeth with your hands over his/her hands. With thus he can learn more easily. Using a gentle back and forth motion, brush the chewing and inner surfaces. In circular motion, brush along the sides. Do not forget to brush the tongue, a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Toothpaste: Before the age of two years, brush your child’s teeth only with water or the toothpaste without fluoride, as young children have tendency for swallowing toothpaste. Excessive consumption of fluoride can lead to fluoride toxicity in children.
• Supervision: Parents should brush their child’s teeth until the age of 6 years, as they do not know how to brush properly. You can then introduce to them the correct technique of brushing and under your supervision until they get used to it.

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  Diet: Diet plays a key role in maintaining good oral health. Studies have shown the cause of increased tooth decay in children is due to changed dietary patterns. Developing healthy eating habits early in childhood help ensure healthy and strong teeth lifetime. Too much of sugary and starchy food/drinks can be harmful for the teeth. So limit and make sure that your child brushes his/her teeth after consuming this kind of food/drinks. Encourage your child to make healthy eating and drinking choices.

• Dental visits: Dentist recommends parents to have their child’s first dental visit as soon as their first tooth erupts. The goal is to have your child dental visit before any problem occur. Visiting the dentist every six months help catch problems early, thus avoiding complex treatment later. Practicing good oral hygiene with your child is very important, as it is an investment in excellent oral health for life.