5 tips on caring for baby teeth

The teething process is a vital stage in children’s oral health, and for this reason, it is essential to follow the recommendations of the pediatric dentist. From Asistencia Dental Plus, we give you five tips on caring for milk teeth that will be very useful.

Milk teeth: key aspects
Primary teeth, or milk teeth as they are popularly known, are those that erupt during the first phase of dentition. These teeth, which begin to erupt around six months of age, are temporary. During the mixed dentition, they will coexist with the permanent teeth that start to grow until they finally detach.
It is imperative to note that although these teeth remain only for a few years, their care is critical. And it is that the milk teeth guide the future permanent teeth, preparing the space and marking their growth.
Therefore, the care of baby teeth is essential to enjoy good dental health throughout life.

What tips should you follow to care for milk teeth?
Taking care of oral hygiene… from the beginning
The oral hygiene of babies is a habit that fathers and mothers should take care of from the beginning. During the first few months, moist gauze pads can be used to gently clean the child’s gums, removing traces of milk.
From the beginning of the primary dentition, until the permanent teeth appear, parents must first carry out their children’s dental hygiene themselves and, later, supervise the process for the correct care of milk teeth.

Make regular visits to the pediatric dentist.
Who should make the first visit to the pediatric dentist when the teeth begin to come in, that is, around six months of the baby’s life. From this moment on, check-ups must be carried out periodically so that the specialist can check the child’s oral health and apply treatment if necessary.

Use fluoride kinds of toothpaste.
One of the requirements for the care of milk teeth is to use fluoride kinds of toothpaste, always following the amount recommended by the specialist.
During the first years of life, the recommended amount of fluoride is 1,000 ppm (that is, parts per million of fluoride), so choosing the most suitable toothpaste for children is essential.
Avoid extending habits such as the bottle.
One aspect to keep in mind when caring for milk teeth is not to delay using devices such as bottles and pacifiers. It is best to withdraw these products around two years; this way, you will make it easier for the teeth to develop correctly, without objects that divert or modify their position.

Take care of food
Finally, another essential piece of advice for baby teeth is to ensure a balanced diet for the little ones. In this way, avoid diseases such as dental caries in the primary teeth, which will also affect the subsequent growth of permanent teeth.
Children’s diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables, ensuring that the limited sugar consumption does not come from refined or ultra-processed products.
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Children who visit the dentist regularly take better care of their oral health, avoid problems such as dentophobia -fear of the dentist- and obtain better resources to maintain their teeth and gums.