The development of teeth is as essential as the development of baby’s other organs in a mother’s womb. Did you know that your baby’s teeth begin to grow in your womb, as early as six weeks into pregnancy? To ensure that your child has good oral health right from the start, you must avoid drinking, smoking and start visiting your dentist regularly throughout your pregnancy. Dental problems usually get exaggerated during pregnancy & lactation due to the hormonal changes taking place in the body. For this simple reason, precaution is considered better than cure as far as pregnancy related dental status is concerned. Read on to learn about dental care tips for infants.

Tooth Decay in Infants
If your infant is forever feeding on sugary liquids, like mother’s milk, cow’s milk, juice, formula milk etc., chances are he will face tooth decay by the time he turns 4 (or sooner).This decay happens when sugar is left in the baby’s mouth for a long time and the teeth are not cleaned regularly.

How Can You Prevent It

• As a vigilant parent, you must keep checking your baby’s mouth regularly, for cavities that will appear as chalky white or brown spots, at the front and back of the teeth. This is the most effective dental care tip.
• Also, you must avoid things like pacifiers and sippers and get your baby into the habit of drinking from the cup directly, as soon as possible. Also, dipping the pacifier in sugar, honey etc., to soothe your toddler is a big no-no.
• Never ever pass on your bacteria to you baby by sharing your utensils with him. Avoid putting his pacifiers etc. in your mouth too. Infants have a weaker & under-developed immune system & will contract infections easily as compared to adults.

Cleaning You Baby’s Mouth
It is important to begin the habit of cleaning your baby’s mouth, before the teeth come in. All dental care tips will help only after this criterion is met. When there are no teeth at all, take a wet, soft wash cloth and gently wipe your infant’s gums, at least twice daily. When the first teeth appear, you can use gauze to clean it. When more teeth appear, brush twice daily using a soft baby toothbrush and Dabur Babool Toothpaste, the best toothpaste in India for kids. Begin flossing as early as when two teeth touch each other.

The Process of Teething
Teething is a natural process of baby’s first teeth working their way through the gums. However, unfortunately, this is a very uncomfortable phase for your toddler as he has to experience drooling, irritability, sore and swollen gums, loss of appetite, etc. At such a time, you must ensure that the toddler has something to chew on, to release his irritation. You can give him a cooled teething water ring or clean damp washcloth to teeth into. You must also massage his sensitive gums with your finger to make him feel better.

As a new mother, you may not know what to expect. Thus, it is best to seek the advice of your dentist, throughout pregnancy and keep ready for the baby to come. For common dental care tips, you can also turn to the internet for advice but always validate any information with your doctor before putting it to use. Also, never compromise on the quality of oral care products that you use for your baby. Choose only the best toothpaste in India-Babool.

Maintaining proper oral hygiene and using the right toothpaste plays a vital role in keeping dental problems away.