When should baby start brushing?
Apr 25, 2010
NANA Mukisa is one-and-a-half years old. Whenever her mother brushes her teeth, Mukisa follows suit. However, she sometimes refuses to brush her teeth.
By Halima Shaban
NANA Mukisa is one-and-a-half years old. Whenever her mother brushes her teeth, Mukisa follows suit. However, she sometimes refuses to brush her teeth.
Brian Rushanju, a dentist at Run Dental Clinic in Kampala, says a baby depends on its mother for her dental care. Parents should brush their children’s teeth to avoid cavities.
He says a child’s oral hygiene begins as soon as they start teething. Rushanju says once you get your baby into the routine of brushing their teeth at an early age, he or she can carry it on and start brushing on their own.
“When your child expresses interest in brushing their teeth themselves, let them do it and make it a routine. However, keep an eye on them to make sure they brush properly,†he says.
Hellen Musasizi, a dentist, says, as soon as a child’s teeth begin to grow, tooth decay becomes a concern.
Sometimes brushing and flossing a child’s teeth can be a battle of wills.
Baby teeth play an important role in child development and they should be given proper attention and care.
“Primary teeth usually begin to grow at six months. This is, coincidentally, when the child’s maternal antibodies has decreased to a very low level, predisposing the infant to a variety of infections,†she says.
Musasizi says although you do not necessarily brush them yet, you should start cleaning your infant’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.
One can use a wash cloth to clean the infant’s teeth. This removes the film that forms from the sugars in food, milk and formula.
Musasizi says as the infant gets more teeth and is comfortable with the twice-daily tooth cleaning, introduce a soft infant toothbrush.
Some infants may put up a fight against brushing their teeth.
What does a parent do then? Parents can experiment with various rewards for good behaviour during brushing.
The initial tooth brushing attempts need to last only 10 seconds or so and a small reward should be provided immediately thereafter.
Train the child to spit the foam after brushing. However, not all babies are old enough to spit, which is why they should drink a glass of water to dilute any toothpaste that could have been swallowed.
Musasizi says taking care of a child’s teeth while they are young helps them to develop a good dental formula.
She says milk teeth help in the proper development of muscles for chewing and also maintain the space so that permanent teeth can grow in their correct positions.
Rushanju advises parents to use children’s toothpaste because it is fluoridated.
“Although it has different flavours to appeal to children, this does not make it safe for them to swallow too much of it,†he says.
On the other hand, Musasizi says a baby’s developing teeth can benefit from a little fluoride.
This mineral prevents tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel and making it more resistant to acids and harmful bacteria. Just make sure they do not swallow too much.
NANA Mukisa is one-and-a-half years old. Whenever her mother brushes her teeth, Mukisa follows suit. However, she sometimes refuses to brush her teeth.
Brian Rushanju, a dentist at Run Dental Clinic in Kampala, says a baby depends on its mother for her dental care. Parents should brush their children’s teeth to avoid cavities.
He says a child’s oral hygiene begins as soon as they start teething. Rushanju says once you get your baby into the routine of brushing their teeth at an early age, he or she can carry it on and start brushing on their own.
“When your child expresses interest in brushing their teeth themselves, let them do it and make it a routine. However, keep an eye on them to make sure they brush properly,†he says.
Hellen Musasizi, a dentist, says, as soon as a child’s teeth begin to grow, tooth decay becomes a concern.
Sometimes brushing and flossing a child’s teeth can be a battle of wills.
Baby teeth play an important role in child development and they should be given proper attention and care.
“Primary teeth usually begin to grow at six months. This is, coincidentally, when the child’s maternal antibodies has decreased to a very low level, predisposing the infant to a variety of infections,†she says.
Musasizi says although you do not necessarily brush them yet, you should start cleaning your infant’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.
One can use a wash cloth to clean the infant’s teeth. This removes the film that forms from the sugars in food, milk and formula.
Musasizi says as the infant gets more teeth and is comfortable with the twice-daily tooth cleaning, introduce a soft infant toothbrush.
Some infants may put up a fight against brushing their teeth.
What does a parent do then? Parents can experiment with various rewards for good behaviour during brushing.
The initial tooth brushing attempts need to last only 10 seconds or so and a small reward should be provided immediately thereafter.
Train the child to spit the foam after brushing. However, not all babies are old enough to spit, which is why they should drink a glass of water to dilute any toothpaste that could have been swallowed.
Musasizi says taking care of a child’s teeth while they are young helps them to develop a good dental formula.
She says milk teeth help in the proper development of muscles for chewing and also maintain the space so that permanent teeth can grow in their correct positions.
Rushanju advises parents to use children’s toothpaste because it is fluoridated.
“Although it has different flavours to appeal to children, this does not make it safe for them to swallow too much of it,†he says.
On the other hand, Musasizi says a baby’s developing teeth can benefit from a little fluoride.
This mineral prevents tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel and making it more resistant to acids and harmful bacteria. Just make sure they do not swallow too much.