Helping Your Child with Their Oral Health

Posted .

You probably understand that you should be brushing and flossing your teeth every day to keep your pearly whites healthy, but are you aware that you should be doing a few things for the health of your child’s teeth—even before they erupt?

As you probably know, it’s vital that you help your kids brush their pearly whites twice every day as soon as their first tooth breaks through their gums. We usually recommend using a toothbrush with soft bristles and toothpaste without fluoride. However, did you know that you won’t need to floss your child’s teeth until they start to touch?

Still, are you aware that you should also take care of your kid’s oral health even before their first tooth comes in? In fact, we recommend cleaning your little one’s mouth out with a damp, clean cloth after they eat. We also recommend holding your infant in your lap so you can clean their mouth more efficiently.

Finally, please remember that you should not give your kids a bottle when you put them to sleep. You see, if you give your baby a bottle with a sugary drink—such as milk or juice— they might be more likely to get baby bottle tooth decay. If your child has a hard time sleeping without a bottle, you could try giving them a bottle with water in it.

If you would like to learn more about helping your child enjoy great oral health in El Paso, Texas, or to schedule an appointment with our dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Erickson, please don’t hesitate to contact Texas Kids Dental at 915-858-6868. We’ll be happy to address any concerns you may have and look forward to hearing from you soon.