Why Is Oral Care Important In Babies?

Some mums think that baby teeth, being temporary, don’t really matter. But did you know that medical and dental experts agree that baby teeth are very important since they provide the framework for permanent teeth? This is why you must pay attention to your baby’s oral hygiene.

Why Is Oral Care Important?

Here are more reasons why you should be taking care of your baby’s teeth:

It promotes good digestion and nutrition

Healthy baby teeth enable your little one to chew food better, making digestion easier, and absorption of nutrients, faster. Plus, your baby won’t suffer from constipation or indigestion since the intestines won’t have a hard time processing the food.

It facilitates the development of speech

Most consonants are pronounced by pressing the tongue against the upper front teeth. Without those, your child might have difficulty pronouncing some letters like T, J, G, D, and the like.

It boosts your child’s self-confidence

“A healthy smile is a happy smile”, or so goes a toothpaste commercial. But really, isn’t a smiling child with awesome looking teeth such an endearing sight to behold? As a result, his bright smile can earn admiration from others, which can make him feel confident about himself. Good oral care also helps prevent bad breath. And with fresh-smelling breath all the time, your child’s confidence will improve all the more.

It strengthens baby teeth

Yes, it does. And when baby’s teeth are strong, they won’t fall out easily. This prevents the formation of gaps that cause the permanent teeth to come out prematurely. As a result, your baby will grow up with well-aligned teeth.

It can save you a lot of money in the future

Experts say that premature falling out of baby teeth due to tooth decay is one of the major reasons behind dental occlusion or teeth crowding. And bracing teeth is the only solution for this condition. As anybody knows, dental braces can be very costly, not to mention that they can cause pain and discomfort to a child.

It develops good dental habits

Taking care of your child’s teeth is good training. Once he is accustomed to having his teeth brushed and cleaned after each meal, he picks up the habit and carries it for the rest of his life.

Why Is Oral Care Important: A Few Thoughts

Now that you know the importance of taking care of your baby’s teeth, here are a few things to consider:

Oral care starts in the womb

Yes, it does. Experts say that proper diet and a good dose of natural Vitamin D from the sun is recommended for the healthy development of your baby’s gum line while he’s still in your womb.

Breastmilk is good for baby teeth

Breastmilk contains all the necessary nutrients for your baby’s teeth. Plus, it doesn’t contain sugar that can damage the teeth’s enamel. So try exclusive breastfeeding. You can pump your milk with a breast pump on days when you need to travel or when you’re sick so that he will still get all the nutrients that he needs. Just make sure that you use a BPA- free feeding bottle .

Why is oral care important? It’s because it ensures that your baby will grow up with healthy teeth that will boost his digestive system, facilitate his speech development and boost his confidence.

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