Take care of your baby's oral health

When the baby is born, the mother has several concerns. The care of the newborn, the new routine, its nutrition and many other details. But in the midst of this whirlwind of guidance and news, Mom, especially the first-time mom, doesn't pay attention or sometimes doesn't even know about caring for her. babies oral health.

But do newborns need teeth care even if they are not born yet? Yes. This is what explains the pediatrician of the Breastfeeding Committee of the Rio Grande do Sul Pediatric Society (SPRS), Roseli Kripka. Even children who are only breastfeeding may develop tooth decay. So hygiene is fundamental for their prevention ?, explains the doctor. Caries is an infection caused by the integration between batteries and fermentable carbohydrates, such as food scraps, associated with poor hygiene that destroys the tooth.

So, to prevent your baby from having dental problems in the future, take care of his oral hygiene from birth. The expert explains that oral cleaning of newborns should be done with a gauze or diaper moistened in cold and boiled water or filtered water. The mother should gently rub the gauze on the baby's gums, cheeks and tongue after each breastfeeding. The procedure should remove any milk residue left in the baby's mouth.

After about six months, when the baby teeth start to appear, hygiene habits must be changed. The mother should use a silicone finger brush to remove the remains of milk and food from the baby's mouth, since at this stage babies also start a different diet with the inclusion of new foods, in addition to milk.

With about 1 year, the oral hygiene of the child can be done once a day with a children's toothbrush and paste. But be careful to use a child-free fluoride toothpaste. Before 2 years is not indicated the use of fluoride cream ?, emphasizes Roseli. From this age parents can also take the baby to the first dentist appointment. The pediatric dentist will advise the mother on the correct brushing of the child's teeth, as well as clarify the care of pacifier and bottle use.

The sooner the child is brought to the dentist, the more confidence they will have in the professional and the more knowledge they will absorb to maintain healthy teeth in impeccable oral health.