Parents often manage to overlook the tooth care for their babies while trying to keep the baby healthy. Many questions revolve around their minds regarding baby tooth care. When should toddlers start brushing their teeth? How to make brushing teeth fun for the toddlers? Paying heed to all these common queries of parents, we will answer all of them in detail.
Ideally, babies teeth should be started taking care of even before they start coming out. Yes, at this stage it is essential that the gums of babies are cleaned properly and made free from germs. This will ensure a bright future for the upcoming teeth. Make sure that warm water is used while cleaning the gums as babies to avoid any hazards. Alternatively, wet cloth can also be used to wipe off the residue after feeding, time to time.
Parents often neglect taking proper care of baby teeth, as they hold a mindset that the temporary teeth are anyway going to be replaced with the permanent ones. But, little do they know that these temporary teeth actually lay a foundation for the permanent teeth. Moreover, any oversight may lead to weak gums & teeth, that might hamper the adequate chewing of food by the baby. Gum infection and other problems are all chained along with this.
Dealing With Toddlers To Make Them Brush
Sometimes dealing with a toddler may be a tiresome task, especially when you have to make him clean his teeth, cause dental hygiene isn’t something that you can or should avoid for long. As your child will grow he’ll eat more food of different types so more food will get struck between his teeth and so regular brushing becomes necessary.
It’s normal that your child may fight against your insistence that he should clean his teeth. Because at this age toddlers may feel uncomfortable, strange or even irritated. Therefore, it is necessary to get the best toothbrush for toddlers, which attract them and make your task much more easier. There are many tips and tricks from which you can choose from to see what works
1) Distract the child– tell your child stories or sing songs to him or you can even use his favorite puppet or teddy bear to distract him. Encourage him to say ‘tee’ for front teeth and ahh for back, try to make it an exciting game to him.
2) Offer control wherever possible– let your child choose his own toothbrush it may be of his favorite color or even cartoon character, even let him choose his own toothpaste. Even while brushing let him hold one or even two brushes in his hands so that he may feel that he’s doing it by himself. But be careful to take only a tiny dob and store it in a place where he can’t help himself
3) Take turns– you may let your toddler brush your teeth while you clean his teeth. Sometimes he won’t allow you to brush his teeth so at that time you may allow him to brush his teeth himself. You may even play copycat where you can show him how to brush his teeth properly by seeing you or even videos
4) Make it a routine – You should try to clean his teeth before bath so he is not tired or even during bath whenever he is comfortable. It may feel a awkward to you, but he will be more playful, cooperative and relaxed. At night you may do it right after supper
5) Have an alliance– you may hold your child whereas your partner can brush his teeth but be careful that in doing so he must not feel uncomfortable. You can even tell your dentist to motivate your child by cheering and complimenting him about his teeth and even giving him a small gift
6) Keep it short– Don’t take too much time in brushing his teeth he may get irritated. Even sometimes when he is too tired at night make it work fast
7) Fancy him– get him flavored toothpastes and even toothbrushes which can spin and even play music. The other option is to buy a bunch of kid’s toothpaste one after other giving him choices. Maybe he will love one and will give her incentive
8) Play – you may play toothbrushing with him daily where he can brush teeth of his toys. You can also name every tooth while brushing so that no tooth is left to clean.
9) Don’t be hard on him– at first your child may not clean his teeth properly,some crevices, gum lines won’t be clean. Don’t sweat it as these lessons are equally about habit as it’s for technique and so with practice he’ll improve.
10) Help him to finish up– Sometimes let him brush his teeth, you can stand there and offer help wherever needed and help him to finish up and clean up
11) Brush along-Join your toddler on with action, while he brushes his teeth. Try setting up a competition (like who’s gonna clean all teeth properly)
You can also use this trick, you may hold the toothbrush and say” ohh what’s that in your mouth? I can see something stripy in there…it’s got four legs and looks like a horse” the child will answer that it is a zebra…then you may tell him “let’s get it out fast ” and so the excited child would let you brush away the zebra in his mouth and then you may start again with a different animal.
So you can try any of these tricks, all of them might help to brush baby’s teeth, it depends individually. And if he resists then don’t go too hard on him it may take some time And if even then they don’t work out with your toddler there are many books and videos available where you can get much more detailed information.
