Baby’s oral hygiene is very important to maintain a healthy mouth, as well as the growth of teeth without complications. Therefore, parents should take care of their baby’s mouth every day, after meals, especially after the evening meal, before the baby goes to sleep.
Close observation of the mouth should also be part of the oral hygiene routine, as it is very important to detect oral problems. If, while cleaning the mouth, opaque white spots are observed on the baby’s teeth, parents should take him to the dentist immediately, as these spots may indicate the beginning of a cavity. If you notice the presence of white spots on the tongue, it could be an indicator of a fungal infection, also known as thrush disease.
Care for your baby’s mouth should start right after birth and not just when the first teeth come in, as when sweetening the baby’s pacifier or giving him milk before he goes to sleep, without cleaning the baby’s mouth, he can develop baby bottle tooth decay.
How to clean your mouth before teeth come in
The baby’s mouth should be cleaned with a wet gauze or cloth in filtered water. Parents should pass the gauze or cloth over the gums, cheeks and tongue, front and back, in circular movements until the first teeth emerge.
Another option is to use your own silicone finger, from Bebê Confort, for example, which can also be used when the first teeth appear, however, it is only recommended from 3 months of age.
In the first 6 months of life, it is very common for babies to develop fungal infections in the mouth, known as thrush or oral candidiasis. Therefore, it is very important, when cleaning the mouth, to carefully observe the baby’s tongue to check if there are any white spots on the tongue. If parents notice this change, they should take the baby to the pediatrician for treatment. Find out what thrush treatment involves.
How to brush baby’s teeth
After the birth of the baby’s first teeth and up to 1 year of age, it is recommended to brush their teeth with an age-appropriate brush, which should be soft, with a small head and a large handle.
From the 1st year of age, you should brush your baby’s teeth with a toothbrush and use a toothpaste with an age-appropriate concentration of fluoride. You should avoid using toothpaste with a higher fluoride content than recommended, as it can leave white stains on the teeth, and it can also be dangerous if the baby swallows this fluoride. You should put an amount of toothpaste on the brush proportional to the size of the baby’s little finger nail, and brush all the teeth, front and back, being careful not to hurt the gums.
