Editorji Exclusive: Ways to take care of your child’s oral hygiene

The month of February is popularly known as National Children’s Dental Health Month, hence, it is a wonderful time to reinforce better oral health for kids.

Dr. Rajesh Shetty, founder of Dazzle Dental Clinic shares oral care tips for kids. Keep watching and take notes!

Also watch: Better oral hygiene could help reduce Covid-19 severity: Study reveals

Tips on teething and how to ease teething in babies:

• Use cold washed cloth and wrap it around your finger to clean your child’s teeth
• Opt for breastmilk popsicles when your child’s mouth continues to develop
• Use ice cubes wrapped in a soft cloth to prevent tooth decay
• Feed them tooth-friendly foods and drinks such as frozen long slices of banana, apple or carrot
• Go for good quality silicone teethers in case of dental emergencies

Things to keep in mind before introducing brushing/flossing:

• Introduce a toothbrush at 6 months of age/ when your baby gets their first tooth
• A minimum of 2 mins brushing time is advised
• While introducing a toothbrush, small heads and soft bristles are recommended
• As important as daily brushing and flossing is, it is also important to limit your child’s sugary food and drinks intake, to decrease their risk of developing tooth decay
• Feed your kids tooth-friendly foods like cheese, fruits and vegetables and if they consume starchy and sweet foods, ask them to brush their teeth about 30 mins later

Also watch: Here's another reason to brush your teeth more than once a day!

(Input from Dr. Rajesh Shetty, Founder, Dazzle Dental Clinic, Mumbai)