The thought has surely creeped up in your head at least once. How much does it really even matter that my kid brushes his or her teeth if those teeth are going to just fall out anyway. But you also know the answer to that question. Don’t you? Brushing does more than just keep your teeth white and sparkly. It also keeps your gums healthy and teaches your child good habits for when he or she grows teeth that shouldn’t fall out. Brushing is always important. And as a parent, you should rid yourself of those negligent thoughts before they gain traction. From your more reliable and professional Bergen County NJ kid dentist, here are 3 tips on how to keep your child’s mouth clean and healthy.

Start The Cleaning Before The Teeth Appear

You don’t need to wait until you start seeing your kid’s teeth pop in for you to start thinking about dental hygiene. Whenever your child eats, you should wipe his or her mouth with a washcloth directly afterward. If you find that the washcloth is too spacious to fit in your child’s mouth, you can also buy finger sized devices that wrap around your index finger. They’re designed specifically for the purpose of cleaning your kid’s mouth. This device gives you more reach and allows you to get the cleaning over with faster.

Start Brushing Immediately

Once those first teeth appear, you should get your kid a toothbrush right away. Baby teeth preserve the spacing for the child’s teeth. Gingivitis from lack of cleaning can disrupt that spacing. Also, cavities hurt! The last thing you need is to give your child more reasons to keep you up all night crying in pain. Whether or not those teeth eventually fall out is irrelevant. While they’re there, they deserve your attention. Keep them clean so that your child can chew properly and comfortably. Teeth are also important for speech. And at an age when speech development is crucial, you’ll want him or her to have the proper spacing so he or she can learn to produce words properly.

Look Out For Cavities

Sometimes, even if you’ve been as regimented and disciplined as possible with your child’s teeth, the cavities still come. Everybody’s body is different, which means you need to keep a close eye on your kid’s wellbeing at all times. The first flag should be some weird coloration. If you notice any black spots around the gums, you should start asking questions. Pain and discomfort come next. The most common means of infant cavities are through the bottle. More and more evidence continues to come out that parents should avoid allowing their children to chew on bottles for long periods of time. That’s not to say you can’t ever use it. But it’s best to avoid giving it to your kid before bed.

We hope you found these tips helpful. To set up an appointment with a Bergen County NJ kid dentist, give Pediatric Dental Associates (PDA) a call today at 201-652-7020.