Becoming a parent is a whirlwind. One moment, it’s just the two of you. And then the next, there’s a baby thrown into the mix. Suddenly you’re not getting any sleep, you’re buying new baby clothes every two minutes as they either grow out of or soil everything you put onto them, and you’re having to learn as you go. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed, and in hindsight, there may be things that you wished you did better or implemented earlier. One of these things that new parents often forget to think about until their child is a little older, is dental hygiene. Before your baby has teeth, it’s the last thing on your mind. And as they do get teeth, you don’t tend to think it’s time to get them a toothbrush, as their diet still consists mainly of milk. However, this is the very best time to implement good dental hygeine for your baby.
Introduce mouth healthy foods
Between the ages of 4-6 months, your child will probably be ready for some solid foods. When you do decide to introduce solid foods into your child’s diet, you should be careful about what you choose as their first foods. Some mouth healthy foods that are great for young babies include cooked sweet potatoes and avocados. These foods are high in naturally occuring vitamins and will promote a healthy mouth from the very beginning.
Give them a toothbrush young
Once your child has a full mouth of teeth, they may resist you brushing their teeth every night before bed. This is a struggle for many parents. We suggest that you introduce a silicone bristle toothbrush to your child, before they even have teeth. This gets them used to the idea of toothbrush in their mouth. In addition, the soft silicone bristles will gently stimulate their gums, which will feel great if they’re teething. Plan to introduce a brush with soft bristles as soon as they begin to collect teeth, and replace it on a regular basis.
Start dental visits young
Your child should begin going to a pediatric dentist between the age of 6 months and 1 year. Once teeth start showing up, it’s a good idea to get their dental care started. Regular checkups from a very early age is incredibly helpful to keep their dental hygiene in great shape, as well as prevent them from developing dentist related anxiety.
