"Our goal is – no tooth decay!" This classic slogan grew up with us, and mothers broke their hearts about the problems of their baby's teeth. According to a survey, the average caries rate in China has reached 60%, of which nearly half are young babies!
So at what age does your baby need to clean his mouth?
Do babies without teeth need it?
The answer is that from the first bite of milk after the baby's birth, the mouth should be cleaned.
Infancy (0~7 months)
Many people think that the baby does not need to clean the mouth before growing teeth, in fact, the baby's oral care should start from birth,
Although the newborn only feeds, there will still be residue left in the mouth, especially when the baby sleeps, oral saliva secretion and swallowing action are reduced, and these residual milk dirt will breed bacteria.
If the mouth is not cleaned well, your baby may have tooth decay later. If the baby has bad baby teeth, it is not conducive to the growth of permanent teeth, resulting in incorrect teeth bite. Babies clean their mouths from birth, and once they develop a habit, they can help them learn to brush their teeth later.
Before the eruption of baby teeth, parents should gently scrub the child's mouth with soft gauze every day, and continue to use this method after the tooth erupts at about half a year old.
If it is difficult for the baby to clean the mouth after eating, warm water can be used to dilute the remaining milk in the mouth. To reduce crying, cleaning your mouth and washing your face and bathing together will make your baby familiar with oral cleaning and more receptive to brushing their teeth in the future.
Eruption period of prenatal teeth (7 months ~ 1 and a half years old)
The main oral disease in babies during the eruption of premammary teeth is tooth decay, commonly known as tooth decay, which is mainly caused by plaque. And this early cleaning work needs to be done by parents.
Dental cleaning tools in this period still rely on gauze, or special finger toothbrushes.
Wrap your arms around your baby with one arm, rest his head on his arm, recline in his arms, and clean his teeth with his other hand.
Postnatal teeth growth period (1 and a half ~ 3 years old)
Choose a toothbrush with soft bristles and no more than three rows, do not use toothpaste when you first brush your teeth, use warm water, this period baby has begun to be able to carry out independent behavior, this is the best time for parents to start cultivating the baby's brushing habit.
Should I give my baby an electric toothbrush?
The baby is young, many mothers are worried that the hand movements are uncoordinated when brushing their teeth, and the teeth are not clean, in order to clean the teeth, consider buying a children's electric toothbrush for the baby, but is this super clean electric toothbrush really suitable for your baby? How old can a baby use an electric toothbrush?
The brush head of the electric toothbrush will rotate rapidly, generating high-frequency vibrations, which can instantly break the toothpaste into foam and clean deep between the teeth to achieve better cleaning results.
But babies can't master time and strength like adults, plus periodontals are still very immature, so. In addition, electric toothbrushes are also prone to accidents during use, such as toothbrush brush head popping out, may accidentally hurt teeth or get stuck in the throat, so it is not recommended for babies under 5 years old to use electric toothbrushes.
What should I do if my baby doesn't like to brush his teeth?
Getting your baby to brush your teeth is not an easy task, and parents are also painstakingly trying to coax their babies to brush their teeth. Is there any way to subdue these naughty little guys?
Let the baby help the parents "brush their teeth": Parents can pretend to brush their teeth and encourage the baby to help him "brush his teeth", so as to cultivate TA's sense of responsibility and help develop the awareness of brushing his teeth every day.
Buy your baby's favorite toothbrush: Take your baby to buy tools such as toothbrushes and cups that TA likes, such as cartoon cute and brightly colored, so that TA can have full fun when brushing his teeth.
Choose a toothpaste with a fruit smell: Toothpaste with a natural fruit flavor is more likely to arouse the baby's interest in brushing his teeth, but parents should pay attention to the smell of the toothpaste should not be too strong, otherwise the baby is easy to swallow into the stomach.
Tell your baby about the dangers of not brushing your teeth: Tell your baby about the negative image of "tooth decay" in cartoon books, so that your baby understands the importance of protecting your teeth.