Good oral hygiene practice and a thorough dental care routine prepare the child great oral health in years to come.
Cleaning the child’s mouth before the teeth have erupted is quite important, it helps prevent oral fungal infections and makes the child used to the routine of maintaining proper oral hygiene. To clean your baby’s mouth, dampen a soft cloth with warm water and gently rub the cloth over all of their gums and the tongue twice daily.
When the child’s first tooth appears, a soft toothbrush should be used instead of the washcloth. This helps to get rid of bacteria that may be harder to remove. Choose a toothbrush that has very soft bristles and a small head that will comfortably move around the baby’s mouth.When the first tooth grows above the gum line, toothpaste with the moistened toothbrush, but only the amount of a grain of rice can be used. Make sure the child does not swallow the toothpaste.
By the age of three, children can use a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste on their toothbrush. We recommend that a parent should brush their teeth for them till the age of 6 years before they take over themselves.