During the COVID-19 lockdown, your child’s dental health remains as important as ever. From a young age, regular dental appointments are vital. However, these may have been canceled because of the coronavirus. The good news is that you can continue to teach your children good habits. Read on to learn more about taking care of your child’s teeth.
No matter what age a child is, a parent needs to teach them good dental health habits. For babies, parents can gently brush the gums. A wet baby toothbrush or a soft washcloth can be used. If the baby teeth are already in, the parent should brush them twice a day using toothpaste with fluoride.
Once there are two touching teeth, the parent should floss them. The right time to floss and brush is just before bedtime. Then the parent should avoid giving the child drink or food except for water. The child should start using mouthwash if they are old enough to spit it out. This can protect the vulnerable baby teeth.
Parents can also model good oral habits to children. For example, children can watch their parents floss and brush. This will help to engrain the behavior in the children. It can also be a good bonding time between parent and child. Once the child is old enough, they will be more likely to follow the parents’ behavior.
Infants can suffer from decay from baby bottles. The sugar in milk, formula and juice can all cling to the teeth and cause bacteria to grow in the area. To avoid this, parents should not place the child for a nap with a bottle. If the child needs a bottle in bed, it should only contain water.
For daytime drinks, many parents think that juice is good because it is from fruit. However, because of the sugars in it, the beverage can cause tooth decay. It is a good idea to limit the child to only drinking four ounces each day as a treat. The beverage should be 100% fruit juice with no added sugar. During mealtimes, it is better to provide non-sugary drinks.
Many times, children will use a sippy cup to transition from a bottle to a glass. However, it is a good idea to limit children’s usage of them. When the child uses it too much, the back of the front teeth can decay. For sugary beverages, it is better for the child to drink it rather than sip it. This limits the contact of the sugar to the teeth.
Without regular dental visits during the coronavirus, your child’s oral health can easily suffer. The good news is that you can prevent this by helping them eat a healthier diet. And by modeling strong oral hygiene habits, you can help your child get through the COVID-19 outbreak. You will be helping them develop behaviors that will last a lifetime.
Request an appointment here: https://www.hvkidsmiles.com or call Hudson Valley Pediatric Dentistry at (845) 363-4177 for an appointment in our Middletown office.
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