Oral Hygiene for Kids Infographic

Infographic by: Rainbow Dental Practice Gentle. Caring. Affordable Dentistry. Call: 02 8021 5285 Oral Hygiene for Kids lothing is as special as your child's happy, healthy smile. Learn how you can care for your child's teeth. When will baby's teeth come in? Most children's baby teeth – also known as primary teeth, deciduous teeth, or milk teeth - emerge in a certain order. Here's what you're likely to see as your child transitions from gums to pearly whites. Oral health problems in children There are a number of problems that affect the oral health of children, including tooth decay, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, and early tooth loss. Even though baby teeth are eventually replaced with permanent teeth, keeping baby teeth healthy is important to a child's overall health and well-being. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Baby bottle tooth decay happens when a baby's teeth are in frequent contact with sugars from fruit juices, milk, formula, sugar water, or any other sweet drink. Breastfed infants falling asleep with unswallowed milk in their mouthare also at risk. Bacteria in the mouth feed on the sugars, causing tooth decay. During tho day, to calm or comfort your baby, don't givo a bottlo fillod with sugary drinks or milk; instead, give plain water or a pacifier." * Novor dip your baby's pacifior in sugar, honey, or any sugary liquid. Thumb Sucking If thumb sucking continues beyond the age of 5, the permanent teeth that come in can be pushed out of alignment, causing them to protrude and create an overbite. This causes difficulty in pronunciation, misalignment of upper and lower jaws, and malfor- mation of the roof of the mouth. Thumb sucking is normal and should not be a concern unless the habit continues as the per- manent tooth begin to emergo. Childron must mako tho docision on thoir own to stop sucking thoir thumb or fingors boforo the habit will cease. Tongue Thrusting Tongue thrusting is the habit of sealing the mouth for swallowing by thrusting the top of the tongue forward against the lips. It pushes teeth out of alignmentand possibly interfere with proper speech development. 2 If you notice symptoms of tongue thrusting, consult a speech pathologist. * Spooch pathologists proscribo oxorcisos dosignod to promoto a normal swallowing pattorn. Lip Sucking Lip sucking involves repeatedly holding the lower lip beneath the upper front teeth. It results in an overbite and the same kinds of problems as with thumb sucking and tongue thrusting. • Apply creams or treatment for skin lesions to keep the tissue from getting infected and abraded ! Parontal involvomont is vory important, but tho cinician must know tho family. Early Tooth Loss If teeth are lost before the permanent teeth come in, the nearby teeth can tip or shift. The new tooth may emerge tilted. Crooked or misaligned teeth can interfere with proper chewing and cause temporo- mandibular joint problems. If you're worried about a loose tooth, got an opinion from your child's dentist. An exam is the * bost way to dotormino whothor thoro's a problom. Providing your child with proper dental care, including semi-yearly appointments for profes- * sional cleanings as well as the tools to brush and floss their téeth, can prevent the periodon- tal disoase than can load to prematuro tooth loss. Tips for Moms * Soft bristles on tooth brushes are better. They don't erode the enamel on the teeth. * Use dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste. Take care that your child does not swallow the toothpaste. * Floss daily to remove plaque from between the teeth and under the gumline. * Make sure that your children's drinking water is fluoridated. Clean the outer surfaces of each tooth. Angle the brush along the outer gumline. Sources: http://www.babycenter.com/101_baby-teeth-order-of-appearance_10355502.bc http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/oral-health-problems-children