This diploma of early childhood education and care allows you to have a better understanding of child’s behavior. It’s never too early when it comes to the subject of taking care of the oral health of your children. As soon as your child gets his first tooth, the dental care regime starts by cleaning. At first you won’t be able to use toothbrush, so use a soft cloth, but eventually as he or she starts getting more teeth, a soft children’s toothbrush can be used with a tiny quantity of toothpaste on it. You have to pay attention though while brushing your infant’s teeth, because most children love the taste of tooth pastes and if you are not careful, the chances are that they will eat it instead of spitting it out. Also most toothpaste contains fluoride which in too much amount can affect the health of your child. So that is another reason why you should keep a check on the amount of paste.
Another important aspect of dental care for children is flossing, but a child cannot floss on own until the age of eight, so till then, you can do it from the age of three to four. During a child’s formative years, dental health check up should be started by regular visits to the dentist’s. This will inculcate a habit, and general knowledge about proper way to take care of one’s dental health, correct diet (too much sugar is harmful for the teeth and gums), the accurate way of brushing, and oral hygiene in general. Apart from this, you should lead by example, that is show them that you do brushing and flossing regularly, so that the same habit gets imprinted on their minds, to follow the same. Also, at home, follow a nutritional diet which is both sensible and tastes good therefore cutting off the temptation presented by junk food, the number one health hazard for kids.
You should also be aware of some other hazards like bottle decay which is quite common in children. Bottle decay is a condition brought on by having a sugary drink before bedtime, which is customary for kids in most households. There are these traditions that before going to bed, a cup of hot chocolate or milk will assist in the growth of the child. These drinks invariably have a good amount of sugar included, which forms a coating on the teeth during night, and which decreases the saliva flow in mouth further leading to the risk of tooth decay.
The upper front teeth are first subject to this kind of decay, and then it attacks the upper and lower back teeth. Though this kind of sugar intake can harm teeth in any age, but especially is harmful for baby teeth as they are softer, and hence the decay sets In much faster than it would on adult teeth. Therefore, dental care for children should exclude such routines during a child’s bedtime.
Another problem which is very frequently observed in children is the habit of thumb sucking. It is a comforting habit which is somewhat instinctive, and it is difficult to wean off a child off this particular habit. It usually affects the shape or formation of the teeth pattern. The front part of the mouth might get pushed out which later might require braces to give it a more proper shape. There can also develop a gap between the lower and upper teeth if not checked at the right time.
Dental care for children is like sensible management practice and the earlier it is inculcated the better it is to stick with a child throughout life. Good dental hygiene can save one from future painful tooth decay or gum problems. You can practice giving your baby a bottle of plain water instead of sugared drinks, you can consult a dentist as soon as you see brownish or blackish stain on your infant’s teeth which won’t disappear with brushing, you can be strict with the amount of sugar intake, and you can obviously educate them about the importance of having a regular visit to the dentist for checking a problem before it grows into a painful disease.
