There is always a lot of anticipation for the appearance of the first teeth, in fact probably much more attention is paid to waiting than to the effective care of the teeth once they have arisen. Yet the oral hygiene of the first teeth must not be absolutely overlooked.
Having the foresight to take care of the oral hygiene of newborns means preventing any dental problems during their growth phase. Believing that baby teeth (deciduous teeth) are less important than permanent teeth because they are destined to fall out is a very common mistake.
How to take care of the first teeth?
The oral hygiene of a newborn does not only include cleaning the teeth (or teeth), the mouth and tongue must also be properly cleaned. The first step for a correct cleaning of the baby’s mouth is the use of a sterile gauze soaked in water. After each feeding, it will be appropriate to pass the moistened gauze on the first teeth, but also on the gums and on the tongue. The same operation should also be carried out after feeding the bottle. Molti genitori hanno l’abitudine di dare il biberon ai bimbi anche nelle ore notturne, latte e biscotti, tisane o succhi di frutta contengono delle sostanze zuccherine molto dannose per i piccoli. In fact, it could happen that these substances may settle on the first teeth causing the so-called “bottle caries” for the English speakers BBTD (baby bottle tooth decay).
Caries in the very first months of a child’s life can be very painful and difficult for a parent to detect, careful prevention could avoid nuisances and further complications.
The use of moistened gauze is recommended until the first year of life, then it is good to introduce the use of the soft bristle brush, without the addition of toothpaste that can be introduced only when the child has learned to spit it out water for rinsing, in order to prevent it from easily swallowing it.
After twelve months, the use of the bottle should be completely eliminated and the intake of sugars by children should always be controlled by an adult.
Why are the first teeth so important?
Adequate care of the deciduous teeth affects the correct development of the dental arches, in fact the milk teeth will leave the same space to the permanent teeth.
The first teeth are also fundamental for the development of the maxillary bones and for the first approach to the chewing process which slowly completes the already present swallowing process, regardless of the fact that the first teeth also play an important role in phonation and pronunciation.
