Dental hygiene for kids

When to take a child to a dentist for the first time?

The first visit to a dentist should be mandatory when the first primary tooth comes in. Every child is different and the first tooth can appear several months before or after the usual time of eruption, which is about 6 months of age. The first visit to the dentist should be pleasant, so that the child gets to know his/her future dentist and to become accustomed to the ambient, to have a positive impression about the clinic, in order not to be afraid of the next visit. The biggest mistake is to take the child when he/she has rotten tooth or feels pain. Regular check-ups every six months are mandatory, in order to monitor the growth and the health of the teeth, and to detect any cavities and irregularities as early as possible. Take your child with you when you go to your dentist for check-up and for minor interventions, so that he/she sees what the dentist does and make you company. In this way, our child will see that there is nothing terrible in the tooth treatments.

When should you start brushing your child’s teeth?

Even before your baby gets the first primary tooth, it is advisable to wipe the gums with the sterile gauze, soaked in lukewarm water or in unsweetened tea after each meal. Wrap the gauze around your finger and gently wipe your baby’s mouth.
Brushing the teeth begins when the first primary tooth comes in. It is important to choose an adequate brush and paste so that the child can enjoy the brushing. Naturally, you should help your child brush his/her teeth in order to make sure that the teeth are thoroughly cleaned and the child will, since you help him/her brush their teeth, develop the habit to brush his/her teeth regularly, thoroughly and correctly. And most importantly, your child will keep this habit for the whole life.

Which toothbrush and the toothpaste are appropriate for the kids’ use and how often should their teeth be cleaned?

The children’s toothbrush should have a small head and soft hairs (soft), and the toothpaste is selected according to the child’s age, because the quantity of fluoride in the toothpaste is adjusted to the child’s age.

For the children from 0-3 years of age the fluoride limit is 500 ppm.

Children aged three to six use a 1,000 ppmF toothpaste, while the children over six years of age can use a toothpaste for adults, i.e. with an amount of fluoride of 1.450 ppm. On the back of the toothpaste, you will find the ppmF label, which indicates the amount of fluoride in the toothpaste.
You probably already know the brushing movements – the rain falls, the grass is growing, i.e. in the direction of the teeth growth (upwards and downwards movements). It is important to wash all the surfaces of the teeth thoroughly. Both primary and permanent teeth are brushed at least twice a day, in the morning and in the evening before bedtime.

Can the diet influence the health of primary teeth?

Definitely. The most important thing concerning the diet is that your child does not eat a variety of snacks and sweets between the meals, and you should not give your child juices and sweetened tea before bedtime, and those beverages should not be consumed during the night as well. If you limit sweetened foods and drinks only during larger meals and if you replace sweet snacks with healthier alternatives, you can help protect your child’s teeth from cavities and give him/her a healthy foundation for the development of healthy teeth.

Author: dr Milan Babić

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