Dental Hygiene Is Important for even the Littlest Family Member

Dental care and good oral health is just as important for babies and young children as it is for adults, if not even more important. Experts emphasize that dental hygiene habits should be implemented before their first tooth even comes in. Help your baby maintain healthy gums and prevent a build-up of bacteria by wiping their gums with a soft cloth after their feedings. Once the first tooth appears experts recommend using a soft children’s toothbrush (no toothpaste) to clean new teeth twice a day.   The American Dental Association encourages parents to bring children in for their first dental appointment by the time they reach their first birthday. Not only does bringing children to the dentist at a young age help them learn not to be scared of the dentist, but it also helps influence children to practice good dental hygiene habits, not to mention giving the dentist a chance to look for any early signs of potential problems.   Experts also encourage parents to not put babies to bed with a bottle, as the liquids can cause tooth decay and a condition called ‘bottle mouth’, which can also be avoided by teaching children to use cups around the time they reach their 1^st birthday.   Once the child reaches preschool age experts encourage parents to start teaching children to use toothpaste (with fluoride) to help strengthen the enamel on their teeth and help prevent cavities.   By the time children reach age 6 and their permanent front teeth start coming in they should have stopped sucking their thumb (or finger, pacifier, or anything else).   Just like any other family member, cavities can also develop in newly emerging and developing teeth of young children.   Some of the factors making young children more susceptible to cavities include:   *Constantly using a bottle all day and night *Drinking a lot of sugary and sweetened drinks *Eating a lot of sugary and sticky foods *Being born prematurely *Having a low birth weight *Having special healthcare and/or developmental needs *Having white spots or brown areas on any teeth *Poor dental hygiene habits *Not having routine dental checkups and cleanings   Influencing children to practice good oral care hygiene early on in life is the best way to prepare children for a lifetime of healthy teeth. Mountainside Medical Equipment knows how important oral health is to your overall well-being, which is why a whole section of our website is designated to oral health, with a variety of products designed for members of all ages of the family. We also know how challenging it can be to get young kids to brush their teeth and what a nightmare it can be to get them to use a mouthwash, which is why we have a selection of kid-friendly toothbrushes (like the GUM Crayola Marker Power Childrens Toothbrush, the Spinbrush Children’s Battery-Powered Toothbrush, and the Gum Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush) as well as great tasting Kiwi-strawberry flavored mouthwashes in fun Scooby-doo bottles.   Sources: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/kids/eating-nutrition/teeth-teething/dental-hygiene-how-to-care-for-your-childs-teeth.printerview.all.html http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childdentalhealth.html