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Dental care is an important aspect of your child’s well-being, from the eruption of their first tooth. Taking care of your child’s teeth improves their overall well-being, and it teaches them from a young age the importance of good dental hygiene. Below are three tips from a pediatric dentist on how to better care for your child’s teeth.

Quality Dental Advice From a Pediatric Dentist

1. Wait Until They’re Two Before Using Toothpaste

While you may be tempted to, you shouldn’t use toothpaste to clean your child’s teeth until they’re at least two years of age. Children that are younger than that are likely to swallow the toothpaste instead of spitting it in the sink, which isn’t healthy for them.

If your child doesn’t have teeth yet, you can use a clean piece of gauze or a washcloth to softly wipe their gums clean. When their first tooth erupts, use a specially designed toothbrush (your pediatric dentist can likely provide one) and water to clean it.

2. Don’t Use Bottles in Bed

pediatric dentistOne mistake that parents make is putting their child to bed with a bottle of milk or juice. Milk and juices are what’s known as ‘fermentable carbohydrates,’ which break down into sugars that attract bacteria. The bacteria then feed on the sugars and excrete acids that damage teeth and cause cavities.

When your child drinks a bottle of milk or juice throughout the night, they experience prolonged contact with these sugars and acids, effectively eroding their teeth. If it becomes a routine, they’ll eventually need to see a children’s dentist for cavities and tooth decay.

3. Be Their Inspiration

A key tip for improving your child’s dental hygiene is to improve or maintain your own. Your children learn many of their habits from you, so if they notice you taking time every day to clean your teeth, they’ll want to do the same. Taking great care of your teeth also shows your child that it’s important, encouraging them to maintain dental habits that will make their children’s dentist proud.

 

In Somerset, KY, you’ll get children’s dental advice and quality care from the pediatric dentist team at Brandi Prather, DMD, PSC. They’re devoted to providing expert care in a dental clinic that’s fun, inviting, and calming for your children. With a staff of compassionate, friendly professionals, your child will learn all about great dental care from a kind children’s dentist. Their mission is to provide attentive care in a way that keeps your kids engaged, entertained, and relaxed, so your child can learn to love the dental clinic from a young age. Like them on Facebook for special offers and updated news or call them at (606) 679-5437.

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