It is important to get your child into a proper oral hygiene routine as soon as possible, even though those first teeth will eventually be replaced with their permanent, adult teeth. Healthy teeth and gums will help your child enjoy a varied diet that contains the right mix of nutrients, and will also help your child learn how to talk properly and clearly. The primary teeth or baby teeth do need to be looked after properly as they will help ensure their permanent teeth come through correctly.

Caring For Your Baby’s Mouth

Even before your infant’s first tooth erupts you can begin getting them into a regular oral hygiene routine. You can use a clean, damp cloth or a clean piece of gauze to gently wipe your infant’s gums after feeding. Make sure you don’t put them to bed with a bottle containing sugared water, milk or juice. Any bedtime bottles should just consist of plain water. Once the first tooth erupts then make an appointment to come and see us at Leeds City Dentalcare as we can give you lots of helpful advice on how to care for their brand-new teeth.

Getting Your Child Used to Visiting Our Leeds Surgery

We recommend you bring your baby to see us any time between the first tooth corrupting and their first birthday. Getting them used to the sights and sounds as well as the smells in a dental surgery at this very early age will help them become accustomed to having regular dental care. If you already wipe your child’s gums and brush any teeth they might have then they’ll already be more comfortable visiting Dr David Brown or any of our dentist in Leeds.

You should be brushing their teeth twice a day, but especially before bedtime so they go to bed with a nice clean mouth. It is important to clean their teeth for them until they’re about the age of seven, and to make sure they are properly supervised until they realise how important it is to brush your teeth regularly. Chemists have a huge range of child oriented toothbrushes that help make the whole process a lot more fun, including electric toothbrushes that can be a lot easier for them to use. They also need to get used to flossing regularly. This is something our dentists and hygienists in Leeds can give you advice on.

Hopefully a regular routine of six monthly check-ups at our Leeds dental surgery will help your child to see there is nothing scary about going to the dentist. These visits will give us a chance to check their teeth are developing normally, and to discuss any potential problems with you, such as a need for orthodontic treatment or treatment for other oral health conditions.

Once They Have Their Adult Teeth

If your child is keen on playing sports then it’s a great idea to invest in a custom-made mouthguard, and to teach them about the need to wear it regularly. This will greatly help to lessen the risk of having a tooth knocked out or damaged.

Once they have their permanent teeth then it’s also a really good time to talk to one of our dentists at Leeds City Dentalcare about dental sealants. Dental sealants are an excellent preventative measure and protect the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. This treatment can be completed in just one short visit to our dental surgery, and dental sealants can last up to 10 years before they need replacing.