The appearance of the first tooth in a baby is a whole event in the life of a family. From this moment, one more thing is added to the concerns of the parents - you need to start caring for the child's teeth as early as possible. Correct regular cleaning will help to avoid early tooth decay, maintain the health of the rudiments of permanent teeth, and prevent stomach diseases resulting from poor chewing.
When to start?
It is necessary to take care of the child's oral cavity from the moment the first tooth appears. Brushes and pastes are not needed yet - it is enough to gently clean the child's mouth with a piece of bandage or gauze dipped in boiled water or a weak solution of soda. It is important not to scare the baby and not to injure the delicate mucous membrane of the gums, so as not to cause him to fear hygiene procedures.
When the number of teeth reaches six, you can purchase a special silicone brush with soft bristle protrusions. Such brushes are put on an adult's finger, the protrusions not only clean milk teeth, but also massage the baby's gums, relieving irritation and pain from erupting teeth. Cleaning is best done after each meal, and if this is not possible, you can clean your child's mouth with a piece of gauze or a sanitary napkin.
There are special sanitary napkins designed for cleaning the oral cavity of very young children - an adult wraps a napkin around his finger and gently cleans the gums and inner surface of the child's cheeks.
When the child is one year old, he will need a special small brush with soft bristles. Parents brush their teeth for kids, from one and a half to two years, you can teach a child to do it independently and regularly - at least twice a day (in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before going to bed). It is also advisable to brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth thoroughly after sweet and sticky food.
Choosing a brush and paste
Children's toothbrushes and toothpastes are selected according to the age of the child. Now there is an opportunity to choose hygiene products even for very young children who do not yet know how to rinse their mouths - such pastes will not harm the stomach and will not cause allergies if swallowed. Nevertheless, the amount of paste should be small - no more than the size of a baby's marigold.
Baby paste should not contain fluoride. Fluorine-containing pastes can be used from 5 years old, and up to 8-9 years, the content of this element in the paste should be reduced.
The toothbrush should have a small (no more than two and a half teeth) narrow head and a long comfortable handle. To stimulate the child's interest in cleaning, you can choose a brush with a curly handle in the form of a favorite cartoon character, an animal or a toy, the main thing is that it is easy and convenient for the child to hold it.
The easiest way to teach a child to clean regularly is through the example of a parent. Do not rush - children usually learn to brush their teeth properly by the age of six or seven, before that, the process must be monitored.
