Having a child is usually the most exciting moment in a person’s life. Good parents are ready to teach their children everything they know about living life safely and to the fullest. However, being a parent is also naturally worrisome at times. Parents will do anything they can to protect their child, from watching their toddler anxiously as he or she peddles down the road on a tricycle, to staying up until 1 in the morning, waiting for their teen to get home safe from god-knows-where.
Recently, gum disease has been found to have a direct link to Alzheimer’s. This is extremely important for parents to know. If you, as a parent, did not think dental hygiene was important enough before, you now have an extra reason to reconsider your beliefs. As a parent, it is your job to teach your child the importance of oral hygiene, and you can do so from the moment your little tyke is born. Here’s how:
When your baby is born, he or she already has baby teeth, just itching to come poking through! As soon as your baby is born, you should gently wash his or her mouth with a moist gauze pad or washcloth, because as soon as teeth appear, decay can occur. You may not have known it, but oftentimes, when your baby’s teeth begin coming in, they may sometimes cause tender, sore gums. Fortunately, you can soothe your baby’s pain by gently rubbing his or her gums with a clean finger or a small, cool spoon.
You should start taking your child to the dentist after his or her first little tooth comes in, and no later than his or her first birthday. If your child is under 3 years old and has begun growing baby teeth, you should brush them twice a day using no more than a grain-of-rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste. By the time your child is 3 years old, he or she should have a full set of all 20 baby teeth.
When your child is between 3 and 6 years old, you should teach him or her the right way to brush their teeth, using no more than a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste twice a day. You should always supervise your child’s brushing, as you can help enforce proper technique and good oral hygiene habits. Ultimately, the amount of time and effort you spend ensuring your child has a healthy set of teeth is minuscule compared to the lifelong benefits your child will reap in return.
Dental Associates of Basking Ridge is a compassionate, gentle, and professional state-of-the-art dental practice serving Basking Ridge, Morris & Somerset County. Our office is always ready to greet our patients with a smile, take the time to answer any questions, and provide the quality dental services our patients expect. Please contact us to schedule an appointment. We look forward to serving you!
