What Happens if You Don’t Brush Baby Teeth?
The life of a parent is all about their kids. From their first word to their first walk, everything is special to them. But some infant milestones make parents anxious, and teething is one of them.
Your kids get their first tooth through a painful process, so it’s important to take care of their teeth as they grow up. They will thank you for this.
But what if the kid is resistant to teeth brushing? Can you leave it at that? What happens if you don’t brush baby teeth?
There can be a dozen questions popping into your mind, and we are here to answer all of them.
Why Should I Brush My Baby’s Teeth? He’s Too Young!
Most parents think that deciduous teeth are temporary and will break anyway. So they don’t heed the initial oral hygiene practices for the baby.
Your baby gets their first teeth when they are around 6-7 months, and at the time they turn 1, they have a couple of teeth for you to start taking care of.
He just had a few teeth. Isn’t it too early?
Paediatricians think otherwise.
The American Dental Association says that baby teeth set the foundation for adult teeth, and parents should start as soon as the first teeth bump out from the gum. Dental hygiene from the start goes a long way, and it strengthens the baby’s gums for adult teeth.
How to do it?
The baby teeth are little cute bumps, so of course, you won’t have to use a tough bristled toothbrush. Instead, it would be best if you used either a piece of cloth or a soft-bristled, small toothbrush.
Positive reinforcement is equally important, but we will talk about it in a while. For now, what’s important is choosing the right tool for starters.
Take yours and your baby’s toothbrush in the bathroom, hold the baby in front of the mirror and brush together.
What Happens if I Don’t Brush My Baby’s Newly Budding Teeth?
If you don’t brush your baby’s teeth regularly, they can get gingivitis, periodontal and other dental diseases as they grow up.
We feed kids all sorts of yummy and healthy food, and due to the spaces in the teeth set, the food particles can get stuck between the teeth. Brushing will ensure there are no invitations for bacteria to live in your baby’s mouth.
Moreover, unclean teeth will host bacterias that will damage the gums and pearly whiteness of your baby’s teeth.
To save them from future dental problems, the positive reinforcement of oral hygiene from a young age is crucial.
My Baby is Resistant to Teeth Brushing. How Do I Make it Look Fun?
Acquainting your baby to basic oral hygiene is undoubtedly challenging. One thing that can make teeth brushing education is the positive reinforcement that we just mentioned.
There are a few things that you can do because kids copy their parents, so what you do will count big time.
Brush your teeth anywhere.
To make your kid comfortable with brushing their teeth, it’s important to show them that it can be done anywhere, anytime. However, you need to use a dry brush (no toothpaste) to avoid the mess.
Enjoy Brushing
Your kids are your biggest fans. They pick your habits, so you need to ensure that they know brushing is a fun, enjoyable activity.
- You have to buy a colourful and small-sized teeth brush specifically made for toddlers with soft bristles with no toothpaste (REMINDER).
- Dance while you are brushing your teeth. This will give kids a good impression of the activity. Tell your baby jokes, make them laugh, so they get excited for the teeth brushing time.
For kids of 3 years or more, you can go for a fluoride toothpaste with rice size because these kids are old enough to handle that.
Go to Dentist with Your Child
Another thing you can do to introduce healthy dental practices to your child is visiting your dentist every once in a while. The kid will normalize it as they grow up, so it’ll be effortless for you to take them for dental treatments.
My Kid Has Learned How to Hold a Toothbrush. Do I Need to Intervene or He’ll Learn to Brush?
Kids are curious creatures. They learn most things with time, but teeth brushing is a rather sensitive matter where you have to teach them how to do it, so they don’t do it the wrong way.
Usually, a kid is only playing with the brush and not using it to clean the teeth. You may have to teach them how to do it by taking the brush and scrubbing the gums softly. Since the teeth are too small at this point, you may not get to those.
Another thing to mark-check is that your kid is sitting when they are brushing their teeth, so there are less to no chances of the child’s gagging. They can get scared to hold the brush if they gag.
Should I Brush My Child’s Teeth Before Bed Time Only?
Brushing twice a day is a must for adults and children alike. But, when your child is learning, you mustn’t push him in regards to timing.
Hand him a toothbrush, just to play with, after every meal and scrub the gums from time to time. Brush after every mealtime and before your kid goes to bed. These are the ideal times for newbies.
Conclusion
If you were a parent who thinks baby’s teeth are new and budding, so they do not need regular brushing, we are sure this blog post gave you a lot of clarity into the subject.
All the information we have provided here is based on experts’ solid facts, so there’s no question that baby oral hygiene is as important as an adult’s.
Again, do not use toothpaste at the start. Babies can swallow it and may not like the taste as much. Plus, keep your dental hygienist on the page during the process.