Good dental health is established early in life. oral care should begin soon after the baby’s birth. Gums should be cleaned after each feeding. You can begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they appear, using a super soft toothbrush.

Ideally, your child’s first dental visit should be by the first birthday. Your dentist will check for decay and other problems, teach you how to clean your child’s teeth and identify your child’s fluoride needs. By starting dental visits early, You’ll help your child build a lifetime of good dental habits.

Yes, when babies are teething they, often have sore and tender gums. The pain usually can be soothed by gently rubbing the baby’s gums with a clean finger, a small, cool spoon or a wet gauze. Teething does not cause fever or diaorrhoea. If you child has an elevated temperature, it needs to be addreased as a separate medical concern.

Yes, even though they will eventually fall out, milk teeth can get cavities and may need to be treated. As soon as teeth appear in the mouth, decay can occur. One serious form of decay among young is children baby bottle tooth decay. Babies shouldn’t fall asleep with a bottle in thire mouth. The suger in juice or milk formulas can cause tooth decay, leading to cavities, dental discomfort, and even tooth loss. Pain water is usually best.

As child’s permanent teeth erupt, the dentist can prevent cavities from forming with the help of selants and flouride treatment. sealants are safe, painless and low cost way to help protect your child’s teeth from decay. The sealant is bonded to the chewing surface of the molars and permolars, and this prevents these teeth from decay. Flouride application is a single sitting procedure done once every six months to make the tooth structure stronger and prevents cavities.

This condition is caused by frequent and prolonged exposure of baby’s teeth to juice, sweetened liquids and milk (including breast milk). Almost any liquid except plain water contain sugar which can be converted in to acid in the mouth. This acid causes tooth decay called as nursing caries. The longer and more often food and drinks are on of the teeth; the greater the risk of decay.

Preventing baby bottle tooth decay:

• Begin oral care early. Wipe the baby’s gums with a wet washcloth or a clean gauze pad after each feeding.
• Babies and toddlers should finish their naptime and bedtime bottles before going to bed. Never allow your baby or toddler to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk , formula, fruit juices or sweetened liquids or a pacifier dipped in sugar or honey.
• Encourage children to drink from a cup by their first birthday.
• Don’t let children constantly sip on sugary liquids (including milk and juice) from training (sippy) cups. Offer these liquids at mealtimes.
• Help your child developed good eating habits early and choose nutritious snacks.

Good eating habits :
Offer your child well balanced diet with variety of foods.
Cut down on high sugar snacks and offer diet low in sugar like carrot, cucumber, deseeded tamatoes, fruits etc.
Avoid soft sticky sweets like toffees, chocolates, lollipops etc.
If your child needs medicine, ask if sugar-free variety is available..

Foods that are high in nutrition and dentally healthy :
Fresh foods, green and raw vegetables, yoghurt,dry,roasted nuts,whole grain bread, beans, upma, chapatti,etc.

Food that are good in nutrition but poor for teeth :
Chikki, milk shakes, dry fruits, pudding, biscuits, cheese etc.
After giving these foods, please make habit of cleaning teeth properly.

Food that are nutritionally & dentally least desirable:
Chips, cakes, chocolates, toffee, crackers, ice-cream.

Food particles and bacteria form a sticky substance called plaque on teeth. Bacteria in the paque makes acid that eats away the tooth enamel and this causes the tooth dacay. Brushing keeps plaque form forming, keeping the tooth clean & healthy.

Dental care

• Children should brush their teeth at least twice a day.
• For children under twelve months; wipe the teeth with a damp gauze pad or wash cloth.
• For children between 1 to 3 years; select a small size tooth brush with soft bristles that will be gental on gums.
• Control the amount of toothpasteto maximum a pea size.
• Learn the correct brushing technique from the dentist.