• 17/12/2022
• By wizewebsite
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The most common mistakes that parents make in the care of baby's teeth<

The most common mistakes parents make when caring for children's teeth

1. Bad brushing technique

The correct technique can be different for each child. "For pre-school children, the easiest way to clean is using small rings with clenched teeth together from the outside, from the inside we naturally clean each jaw separately. Someone is better at wiping zigzags from gum to tooth, but be careful, you should wipe one tooth at least five to ten times, not once or twice," recommends dental hygienist Jana Křepelková.

From school age, children should already clean each jaw separately, namely by placing one half of the toothbrush on the tooth and the other half on the gum and brushing tooth by tooth with small circles.

"It is important not only to clean the biting surfaces, but above all the area of ​​the tooth necks - i.e. the interface between the tooth and the gums. A large amount of plaque is formed in these places, which can cause not only the dreaded tooth decay, but also gingivitis," he explains.

According to her, it is important to clean each tooth with a certain amount of patience - that is, not only the front ones, but also the back ones.

2. Too early independence

It is of course right to lead a child to independence, he just has to wait for the right time. If a three-year-old is brushing his teeth all by himself, it's not good. He still needs supervision at this age.

"During preschool age, the parent is responsible for tooth decay, not the child or genetics. Children are unable to realize the consequences of the action of bacterial coating, nor that the resulting caries is an irreversible damage to their body. Frankly, not even many adults are aware of this," explains Křepelková.

According to her, the child does not have sufficiently developed fine motor skills even at a younger school age.

"In the doctor's office, I often see that even children around the age of twelve are not yet able to repeat the circular movement with the brush in their mouth that I practice with them," states the dental hygienist, adding that children up to the age of three should only be brushed by the parent, the child he is just practicing cleaning.

A preschool child's teeth need to be cleaned daily, in the younger school age, self-cleaning should be checked and, if necessary, problematic areas - newly erupting teeth or back molars - should be cleaned.

3. Late start with dental hygiene

Are you hesitating when to start dental hygiene? Then know that the ideal time occurs when the baby's first incisor cuts through. That's when it's a good idea to take a damp tissue, possibly gauze, and later, when more teeth come in, a rubber thimble, and start cleaning.

"It is appropriate if the child gets used to a foreign object in the meringue from an early age. You can also get him a teething brush, with which he can first play and later practice the correct grip," explains MUDr. Dagmar Kudrnová, head doctor of the dental office Arbes Dent.

Alternatively, you can also use a solo toothbrush, which makes it easier to clean each tooth separately. Later, when the toddler is older, start playing games. "The child first brushes his mother's teeth, then she brushes his teeth, then brushes the teeth of stuffed animals or an older sibling... Anything that motivates the child to practice, no matter how clumsy it may be, is useful," adds Dana Tichotová, dental hygienist from Arbes+.

4. Forgotten interdental spaces

Experts do not yet fully agree on the use of interdental devices at a young age. However, it is not good to postpone this care too much.

"In the beginning, the parent cleans them with floss - dental floss stretched over a sling. Later we add a rubberized toothpick or the smallest interdental brushes. Interdental caries often develop in these areas, which can affect two teeth at the same time," points out MUDr. Dagmar Kudrnová adds: "Repairing cavities on two adjacent teeth is more time-consuming for a child, or they have to go to the doctor's office more than once. In addition, in the interdental space, the papilla is injured by pushing food in. The papilla becomes enlarged with inflammation and it bleeds during cleaning, which many children and parents solve by saving space during cleaning. This creates a vicious circle that only worsens the problem of interdental caries."

If you add interdental appliances to the party around puberty, your offspring may already have inflamed and sometimes painful gums - especially girls in connection with hormonal changes.

"Convincing them to clean thoroughly is already difficult because inflamed gums can not only hurt, but also bleed, which discourages them from interdental hygiene," concludes Jana Křepelková.

5. Beware of licking and sugar

Licking a pacifier or a baby spoon is taken for granted by many parents. But dentists warn against this behavior. Milk teeth are the most vulnerable in the period from their eruption to the end of the development of the temporary dentition, and every lick of a pacifier or spoon represents ideal conditions for the colonization of the mouth with bacteria that cause tooth decay or gingivitis. It's the same as giving your baby a drink from your glass, even if you have the flu or a sore throat.

You shouldn't overdo it with sugary drinks and foods either. It is also downright bad if you put your child to sleep using a bottle with sweetened tea, juice or milk.

"A child should go to bed with cleaned teeth. After cleaning, he should only get as much unsweetened water as possible," concludes the dentist.

How to motivate a child to brush their teeth

From the beginning, think of cleaning as a game and let your daughter or son brush their teeth and their favorite stuffed animals. Take care of the regularity and brush your teeth in the morning and in the evening.

Let the child choose a toothbrush according to his own taste.

After cleaning, praise the child, brush his teeth and go to the next ritual, for example reading before bed.

Brush your teeth with him so that he sees that you also do this activity regularly and that it is therefore normal to brush.

Try getting him a baby electric toothbrush. Some also offer a fun application that entertains children and motivates them to clean even more.

If you follow all the recommendations mentioned above and visit the dentist twice a year as part of prevention with your child, it is very likely that there will be no problems with the teeth.