Take care of children’s teeth

To assess the importance of consulting this professional in childhood, researchers from the Hebrew University, in Israel, analyzed the oral health of 432 children aged between 7 and 11 years. They concluded that some difficult-to-treat dental disorders can be detected at this stage, before they evolve. “Problems of occlusion, that is, the contact of the upper and lower teeth, are more easily resolved when the diagnosis is early”, explains pediatric dentist Silvio Issáo Myaki. By the way, visits to the dentist’s chair should happen even earlier. “Ideally, parents take their child in the first six months of life, before teeth start to come in”, explains Myaki. And, of course, home hygiene is essential.

what to do at home

At first, parents need to put their hand in their child’s mouth to ensure that it stays healthy and clean. Then, each stage of life requires different care

1. Clean gums

Until the teeth begin to emerge, wipe the gum with a soft tissue, such as gauze or a diaper, soaked in water. Do this two or three times a day. It is important that the baby never sleeps with a dirty mouth.

2. The teeth come out

Around 6 months, they appear. At 14, the back molars are already showing. It’s time to use brushes with a size proportional to the mouth of the little one. This accessory needs to have soft bristles and rounded ends.

3. What about floss?

The ideal moment to introduce it is when there is already contact between the teeth or the arch is fully formed. Because it is difficult to handle, parents should perform the task until the child has sufficient motor coordination.

4. Independence now!

Around the age of 5, you can give the brush to the child’s hands, but you need to check later that the cleaning was carried out correctly. It is also at this age that the use of fluoride toothpaste becomes safer.