For every mom, their newborn's health is paramount. There is a huge industry devoted just to making moms feel better informed about their child's health. A well-informed mom means a better-treated, and of course healthier, child. After the basics of health care come the little details that are so important when making sure your child is safe. And a very important health detail is your child's dental health.
Contrary to what you may have heard, proper dental care is NOT something that starts after the child has already grown a mouthful of baby (or starter) teeth. Absolutely not! Your child's dental health starts at home with a variety of things you can do to help get a head start on a healthy set.
One important start is to try not to put the baby down with a bottle. Make certain there's no bottle in sight at bedtime so that the teeth will have a better chance of getting a fresh start on growth. When the teeth begin to appear, there are tiny baby toothbrushes on the market that you should always have handy. The toothbrushes are soft and easy on the child's gums, but if for any reason you feel you need something more delicate, try a cloth, making sure the cloth is soft and well-cleaned beforehand.
Remembering that we brush our teeth to keep the area cleaner so that germs and plaque don't get a chance to develop, during your child's brushing process you should always keep a very sharp eye for marks on the teeth –stains should be addressed right away to ensure a cleaner mouth environment for healthier growth.
Okay, that's just for the infant stage. When the infant is now a child with a full set of teeth, it's time to break out the fluoride (or grown-up) toothpaste and a slightly larger toothbrush to fit the growth rate of the child. And then it's time to consider diet – this will become more and more of a concern as the child grows. Naturally, reducing the snacks and sweets will be a big plus, so it's a matter of knowing when to pull back. Another very important thing to remember is that the foods you serve a child should be very high in calcium – this promotes healthier bones and let's not forget that teeth are in that class!
So just be careful and DON'T wait until a bad prognosis at the dentist office before you pay close attention to your child's diet! Healthy teeth mean fewer trips to the dentist for everyone!