People tend to treat baby teeth as if they don’t matter, because they know there’s another set of adult teeth on the way. Baby teeth are also known as the deciduous teeth or primary dentition; they are vital for a variety of reasons. Until the permanent teeth (secondary dentition) come in later, the baby teeth are needed.

A child will start to get his permanent teeth around age 4 and by the age of 11 or 12, they will all be in. Which means the primary teeth are used anywhere from 5 to 12 years. Parents should teach good brushing habits in order to help the child retain his teeth for a lifetime.

Care after Baby Teeth

Once the baby cuts a tooth, parents should ensure it is taken care of properly. With these very first baby teeth, a simple cleaning with a clean piece of gauze is all that is needed. When more teeth emerge, use fingers to brush the baby’s teeth.

You should begin regular teeth brushing with your child using a children’s toothbrush when they are between the ages of 18-24 months old.  Every day the child’s teeth should be brushed. If the water from your tap includes fluoride, it isn’t necessary for your child to use toothpaste.

Don’t forget that young children do not find it easy to spit and can end up swallowing the toothpaste. If the child consumes too much fluoride, he may contract fluorosis. If the child has fluorosis, it will white spots on the teeth. Don’t worry, it is only pleasing to look.

With xylitol as an active ingredient, there is a new range of toothpastes for children, if tooth decay is one of your concerns. The purpose of Xylitol is to check tooth decay.

It is wise to teach your child to be independent with proper teeth brushing practices, but it is recommended that once a day, you do the brushing for them to ensure the teeth are getting properly cleaned. Without your help, children will not brush effectively; they generally have poor manual dexterity. Older children may make a few cursory attempts to clean the teeth, or even chew on the brush, but this is probably the most you will get.

Guiding your child’s hand is a good way to teach them proper brushing techniques. When the child has learned to brush his teeth properly, he can take over the responsibility himself, though it is wise to check up on him occasionally to make sure he is continuing to brush correctly. Children may try to sneak away from brushing their teeth; a lot of kids get bored quickly with the task. They may be brushing their teeth but do an unsatisfactory job of it.

Baby teeth are not difficult to take care of. It’s the parent’s job to instill in the child a lifelong good habit of brushing his teeth properly. Because baby teeth are important, it’s imperative they are retained for as long as possible. Showing your child how to take care of their first teeth also shows them how to have good oral health for the future.