You may think that treating a child’s baby pearly whites isn’t that useful because they’re going to fall out on their own anyway. However, contrary to this line of thinking, caring for baby teeth is important because, without them, adult (also known as permanent) teeth will not come in straight, but instead crowded and misaligned. Here are some tips on caring for your child’s baby teeth if your child is younger than three:
Use fluoridated toothpaste to brush your child’s chompers as soon as they show. Because your child has only very little teeth, you won’t need to use very much toothpaste. Dab a rice-grain-sized bit of toothpaste onto your child’s toothbrush and brush their teeth thoroughly. Do this twice a day. Again, although this might seem like overkill, tooth breakdown can start as soon as chompers appear, so it’s good to begin cleaning the pearly whites instantly. Tooth erosion has been shown to affect the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of children.
If you would like an appointment in Olympia, Washington, reach out to Dr. Andrea Mason and the Olympia Pediatric Dentistry staff at 360-352-3515. The team at Olympia Pediatric Dentistry will be thrilled to schedule your visit and answer the questions you have about helping your child brush appropriately. Talk to you soon!