How Do You Clean Baby's First Teeth

If you lot feel unsure about how and when to brush your babe's teeth, y'all are not alone! At Hurst Pediatric Dentistry, we regularly receive questions most brushing. When do you lot beginning brushing baby teeth? How exercise you brush baby teeth? What practice y'all practise if your child hates brushing teeth?

Parents should begin cleaning their baby's rima oris much earlier than most people realize. Tooth decay can brainstorm as before long as the very first tooth breaks through your babe's gums. Information technology is of import to brand good oral intendance habits a part of your child's daily routine right from the start to ensure that your kid's teeth and gums stay healthy. Here are some tips for how to do so.

Should I Brush My Baby's Gums?

Yous do not need to begin brushing with a toothbrush or toothpaste until your infant'due south teeth brainstorm to erupt, but you lot should clean your baby's gums on a daily basis. The American Dental Clan recommends cleaning your infant's gums regularly, beginning just a few days later on birth.

Making the cleaning of your baby'south gums a part of your daily routine right from the outset will assistance ensure that, by the time your baby'south start tooth comes in, you and your baby are both already accustomed to regular oral cavity cleanings. Furthermore, because every baby teethes a scrap differently, it can sometimes be hard for a parent to tell when their infant'south first tooth is kickoff to break through. Cleaning decay-causing bacteria from your baby's mouth on a daily basis by wiping the gums tin act as a safeguard to aid protect the tooth until it becomes obvious that the tooth has erupted and brushing is required.

To make clean your baby'southward gums, gently wipe the gums with a clean, damp washcloth or infant toothbrush. If your kid is teething, consider refrigerating or freezing the damp washcloth for a few minutes. The cold temperature tin soothe your baby'southward sore gums.

When Do You lot Start Brushing Baby Teeth?

Many parents feel unsure about when to offset brushing baby teeth. A child'southward starting time tooth often erupts at around six months. Do parents need to begin brushing with a toothbrush and toothpaste that early on?

The curt reply is that they do.

As presently equally your child has a tooth, plaque can brainstorm building upwardly on the surface of the tooth and causing decay. Every bit a result, the American University of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that you lot start brushing your child'due south teeth as presently as the very first tooth comes in.

But what if your baby won't even permit you inside his or her oral fissure? What if your toddler runs away at the sight of a toothbrush? Is it okay to just wait until your child is a flake older and doesn't mind molar brushing and so much?

The short answer here is that you should non wait.

Brushing a young child'southward teeth isn't always like shooting fish in a barrel, but it essential to establish, and maintain, a adept oral healthcare routine to keep your child's oral cavity salubrious and prevent potentially serious infections. Just every bit y'all wouldn't give up on changing your babe'due south soiled diapers if your baby wiggled and fabricated diaper changes difficult, yous should never give up on keeping your kid's mouth clean and free of affliction. Read on for some tips for how to brush baby teeth and how to brush toddler teeth!

How to Castor Baby Teeth

As soon equally your child's first tooth emerges, use a small-headed, soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your child's teeth. Twice a day – in the morning and earlier bed – apply a thin coating of toothpaste to the brush (no more than a grain-of-rice-sized corporeality of toothpaste), identify the brush at a 45-degree angle and gently brush in a circular movement for 2 minutes. In one case your child is three-years-one-time, you can increment the amount of toothpaste to a pea-sized corporeality.

If your child has whatsoever teeth that are touching, yous should also make sure to floss betwixt them at least once a day. (Not certain how? Check out our tips for how to floss kids' teeth.)

Parents should continue to castor their children'due south teeth, or aid their children's tooth brushing, until they are comfy that their children are able to brush thoroughly on their own. The exact age will depend on the child, but typically parents should proceed profitable with tooth brushing until the child is at to the lowest degree seven or eight.

How to Brush Infant's Teeth When They Refuse

What if you feel similar you know how to brush baby teeth in theory, but when you go to endeavor information technology on your infant, your baby won't even let you lot become the toothbrush within his or her oral cavity? Fortunately, there are a few techniques that can help you provide your babe with the oral care he or she needs.

When possible, we recommend using the "knee to knee" technique for brushing an infant's teeth. This technique requires 2 adults and works as follows:

• The two adults should sit facing each other, with their knees touching.
• Lay the baby downwardly so that the dorsum of his or her head is resting on one developed'due south lap and his or her legs are on the other adult'south lap. (Make certain the child is in a stable position and cannot autumn.)
• The adult with the baby's head on his or her lap should use 1 manus to gently lift the infant'south lips so that the teeth are completely visible and the other hand to gently brush the infant'due south teeth.
• The second adult should focus on comforting and/or distracting the infant, also as gently holding the infant'south easily to foreclose the infant from grabbing at the toothbrush.

If a 2nd adult is not available to help you castor your kid's teeth, try placing your infant's head in your lap and so using one paw to lift your child'south lips and the other to castor. (Make sure that your babe is in a stable position and cannot fall from your lap!)

If your baby's back molars take not come up in notwithstanding, y'all tin can too try placing a finger betwixt his or her dorsum gums to help go along your child'south mouth open up for brushing.

How to Make Brushing Toddlers' Teeth Fun

Even if parents know how to castor toddler teeth, "fun" may not exist the word they employ to depict it.  In fact, brushing your toddler'due south teeth may feel like a downright battle. If this is the example for you lot, try out some of the techniques below with your toddler; brushing teeth might become fun instead of a power struggle!

• Take turns brushing your child'due south teeth, so that your child feels more involved and/or independent. You tin can brush your child's teeth first then let your child practice brushing after, or you can reverse the social club.
• Bring in a favorite stuffed animal or doll, and allow your kid "brush" the toy'southward teeth (without toothpaste, of class) while y'all castor your child'southward teeth.
• Play some music while brushing. Turn on a fun song that lasts about two minutes, and allow your child know that when the vocal is washed, it will be time to rinse. Alternatively, sing a vocal specifically related to tooth brushing. For example, nosotros oftentimes sing, "Brush, brush, castor your teeth / Brush them every day / Father, mother, sis, brother / Brush them every day!" to the melody of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat".
• Tell light-headed stories as you brush to make things fun.
• Permit your child selection a toothbrush that he or she loves – i in your kid's favorite color or with a picture of a favorite movie grapheme on it – to make the routine more exciting. Trying a fun season of toothpaste can help, also.

Schedule a Check Up with Hurst Pediatric Dentistry

Hurst Pediatric Dentistry is committed to giving your kid a healthy smile. Dr. Lin is an expert at educating patients and parents together, then that parents tin feel confident knowing when to start brushing baby teeth, how to brush toddler teeth, and how to make brushing toddlers' teeth fun!

Hurst Pediatric Dentistry serves the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, including Hurst, Euless, Bedford, North Richland Hills, Southlake, Keller and Colleyville. Call our office at (817) 510-6400 to schedule an engagement with Dr. Lin today!

This article is intended to provide general information virtually oral health topics. Information technology should not be used to diagnose or treat whatever medical condition or as a substitute for the advice of a healthcare professional who is fully enlightened of and familiar with the specifics of your case. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with regard to any questions you may have relating to a medical condition or treatment.

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  Dr. Jin Lin is a board-certified pediatric dentist with a passion for helping children attain healthier, more than beautiful smiles. He earned his Bachelor of Scientific discipline degree from Cornell University and his Dr. of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) caste from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Afterwards graduating cum laude from dental schoolhouse, he completed his mail service-doctoral pediatric dentistry training at Boston Children'southward Hospital and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where he served as chief resident and worked with children with a wide variety of special medical and dental needs, including children with rare syndromes.

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Source: https://hurstpediatricdentistry.com/2020/09/10/tips-for-brushing-baby-toddler-teeth/

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