Want to WOW the Tooth Fairy? Follow These Tips From Your Sugar Land Dentist for Kids
Every year pediatric dentists in Sugar Land, Texas are asked the same questions about children’s baby teeth. To start your baby on a good path of oral health, we recommend beginning proper oral health care routines at birth and carrying them through as your child grows. Here are our best tips to have your child wow the tooth fairy, and have a healthy smile as he or she grows.
Don’t Wait for Baby’s First Tooth
Before celebrating the first tooth milestone, parents should be taking steps to ensure their baby’s mouth is cleaned properly. Whether you use a damp washcloth to wipe the gums or a baby sized toothbrush, keeping baby’s gums clean after meals minimizes bacteria and ensures a healthy mouth when teeth do finally arrive.Never send baby to bed with a bottle or sippy cup with juice or milk. Prolonged exposure to the sugars in these drinks invites bacteria in the mouth and can lead to what is commonly known as “baby bottle tooth decay.” Pediatric dentists in Sugar Land, Texas say if you can’t seem to wrestle the bottle away at bedtime, switch it up and send your child to bed with water in the bottle.Your Sugar Land dentist for kids will also encourage you to schedule your baby’s first dental check by age 1. During this visit, the dentist will check for normal development in the mouth, jaw, and soft tissues around the mouth, as well as checking for any early signs of decay. They will also discuss techniques for brushing and flossing teeth on a wiggly baby, and how to avoid trauma with dental hygiene during various developmental stages.
Baby Those Baby Teeth
Although many parents don’t think caring for baby teeth is important since they are quickly replaced by permanent ones, baby teeth play an important role in the child’s development.Besides acting as ‘placeholders’ for the adult teeth to come, properly placed baby teeth help a child’s speech development. If a child is missing teeth or suffering from tooth decay, it can change their eating habits and keep them from trying healthier, crunchy foods like carrots and celery. Decay in a baby tooth can also spread to the permanent tooth lying beneath it. Caring for baby teeth becomes extremely important for future habits and dental health of the child.
Active Growing Kids
After establishing a proper oral healthcare routine, the last thing a parent wants is for their child to get his or her tooth knocked out during sports or other active play. The best way to prevent this dental accident is to have a Sugar Land dentist for kids custom make a mouthguard for your child. While these guards can be bought over the counter, a custom one will fit better in your child’s mouth and offer better protection as it acts as a barrier between the teeth and inside of the mouth. Mouthguards have been known to prevent lacerations in the mouth, broken teeth, and in some cases even a broken jaw. They also give parents peace of mind knowing their child’s smile is protected during that nail-biter game.Pediatric dentists in Sugar Land, Texas are here to help answer all your questions regarding baby teeth and your child’s developing smile. Don’t wait until your children are facing a dental emergency to bring them to the dentist, establish a relationship with your dentist when children are young so you can be comfortable coming in when a problem does arise.