Are you seeing your child’s first teeth finally erupting? Then, it’s time to start introducing your kid to proper oral care. But where do you start?

Oral care is crucial, especially at a young age. Learning about it early on can help parents manage their child’s oral health properly. Doing so acts as a good foundation for their adult teeth to grow. The lack of healthy baby teeth can mean trouble when it comes to eating food and speaking.

How should you care for your kid’s oral health?

Even without their first teeth erupting, you can begin taking care of your infant’s gums. It doesn’t involve toothpaste or toothbrush. All you need to do is use a soft washcloth or a small piece of your extra gauze. Make sure to moist it and gently wipe it on your infant’s gums. Do it twice each day to prevent any bacteria from growing, especially since your child is always drinking milk. Repeat the process after every feeding and before they sleep.

Once your child turns one and a half or two years old, you can start teaching them how to use a toothbrush. Ensure that you choose a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head to make it easier for them to use it. Also, see to it that it has a large handle so that it won’t slip.

The first thing you need to do is to wet the toothbrush. Then put toothpaste on it that’s the same size as a grain of rice. You can increase it to a pea-sized amount once your kid reaches the age of three.

It’s your job to brush your child’s teeth until they are old enough to hold it on their own. And when they do, remember to keep an eye on them until they can rinse and spit the toothpaste out without your supervision.

When should your child start to floss?

Every kid’s dentist from Singapore says that a child should begin flossing once their teeth start to fit closely together, which usually happens between the ages of two and six. Children should floss their teeth at least once each day. Doing so will protect them from developing tooth decay, bad breath, or even gum disease.

Since your kid won’t be able to floss on their own, you should help them do it. So, the first step is to hold a short piece of floss right between the index finger and the thumb. Then, twine it around one finger so that you can control it.

Next, adjust it so that it will form a C curve around each of your child’s teeth and then move it up and down gently. Be sure to use a new piece of floss for each tooth to prevent the food and plaque from getting transferred to another tooth.

These are only a few of the things that you need to remember to manage your child’s oral health. It’s crucial that you start visiting a paediatric dentist as soon as your child reaches six months or after their first tooth erupts.