Good tooth care starts before the baby’s first tooth appears. You can use a clean, damp washcloth over the gums to clear away harmful bacteria. Once your baby gets teeth, we need to brush them with a toothbrush.
But which type of toothbrush should your child use? The toothbrush should be designed for children’s smaller mouths and hands. These have large handles to help children control the toothbrush and the “head” of the brush should be as small as possible with round-ended bristles that will not pinch the gums. It is important that the handle and head should have rounded corners, to avoid injury to the mouth when the baby pushes and pulls with the brush. If the bristles start fraying it is important to replace the toothbrush, since it is not as effective in cleaning teeth and the bristles can harm the gums.
As for the toothpaste, it doesn’t matter which brand, as long as it has the right fluoride concentration for age of the baby. Since small children tend to swallow toothpaste, place only a small smear of toothpaste every time they brush. If you help your child to brush his teeth make sure to touch each tooth and every side of that tooth.
To get personal help and assistance with tooth care for your child or yourself, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Kaufman or to call today Tooronga Family Dentistry, phone number 98227006 and ask for an appointment.