Effective Natural Methods for Cleaning Baby's Teeth

We know you love your baby’s heart-melting smile and want to preserve it. For this, taking good care of their teeth from the start is essential. While baby teeth fall off eventually, they form the foundation of strong permanent teeth. They shape your baby’s face, help them chew food, and talk clearly. 

As a parent, if you fail to keep your baby’s teeth healthy, you invite various oral problems for your child. Poor dental health can lead to cavities, toothache, tooth decay, yellow teeth, and even affect overall health. Fortunately, there are various natural solutions to clean baby teeth and promote good oral hygiene. 

This article will discuss these natural methods to clean a baby’s teeth. So, stay with us. 

When to start brushing baby teeth?

Most babies show the first signs of teething at around six months. Per dental authorities, you must start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as they get their first tooth.

When brushing, make sure you use good-quality toothpaste and toothbrushes designed especially for kids. Gently brush all the surfaces of the teeth and gums for the best oral care of your little one. 

Good habits begin early. So, as parents, you must encourage your baby to brush their teeth twice daily - in the morning and before bedtime. This will help them avoid common dental problems like cavities, toothache, and yellow teeth. 

Useful natural ways to clean your baby’s teeth

Maintaining your kid's oral hygiene is as essential as caring for their immunity, growth, and nutrition. The market will tempt you with various offerings for keeping your baby’s mouth clean and healthy. Unfortunately, you can’t trust them all because they might contain chemicals that can harm your little ones. 

One of the best ways to promote good oral health in kids is to use natural dental products. These products offer advanced care to your baby’s sensitive teeth and gums. The list below shows all the natural essentials you must include in your child’s dental kit. Let’s take a look:

1. Gum cleaning

Do you know that your baby needs brushing even before they get the first sprout? Yes, that’s true, and most dentists suggest that parents start dental care before teething starts in babies. This is important to clean the gums, remove food particles, kill bacteria, and ensure overall good oral health. It also makes them habitual to oral hygiene. 

You can use a wet cloth or your finger as a brush to wipe your baby’s gums. Another natural way to clean your little one’s gums is through a biodegradable gauze. Take the gauze, wrap it around your finger, and wipe it across the gums.

2. Choosing baby toothpaste and toothbrush

Milk teeth are more sensitive compared to permanent teeth. This makes it essential to use oral hygiene products without eroding the enamel. Follow the given tips to choose the best toothpaste and toothbrush for your kid. 

• Always use toothpaste and toothbrushes that are specially created for babies and children. 
• Choose a good organic toothpaste with no preservatives, chemicals, or artificial flavours for your baby’s milk teeth. You can trust BabyOrgano Herbal Kids Toothpaste. This herbal toothpaste for kids has the goodness of Triphala, Khadir, Mulethi, Clove, and Neem. It strengthens the teeth and gum, fights bacteria and cavities, and gently cleanses the mouth. 
• For the toothbrush, make sure the brush has soft bristles that do not affect the enamel covering or delicate gums. 
• Ensure the toothbrush has a small head that fits comfortably in your kid’s mouth. Plus, a bigger handle will make brushing convenient for them. 
• You can use manual and electronic toothbrushes to clean your baby’s teeth and gums. 

How to brush your kid’s teeth?

No matter how easy it might look, brushing is a detailed process that involves specific hand movements to offer good oral health. As expected, kids are too young to learn this. So, you would have to brush your kid’s teeth for the first few months. Gradually, you can teach your kid how to brush their teeth to make them do it independently.

Here are some handy tips that can help you brush your child’s teeth with the best toothpaste for kids easily:

• Make your child sit comfortably on your lap. They must face away from you. 
• Rest their head against your body and hold their chin in one hand. 
• Take a small amount of paste on the brush. Start brushing gently along the gum line. Make small circles while covering every tooth, inside and outside surfaces.  
• Do this for about 2 minutes to ensure you clean every tooth thoroughly. 
• Once done, ask your kid to spit out the toothpaste. Avoid rinsing their mouth with water. The small amount of toothpaste that stays back keeps protecting their teeth. 

How do you teach brushing to your kid?

As your child grows, gradually incorporate tooth brushing into their routine systematically. You can guide them in holding and moving the brush inside the mouth. Give them the brush and let them take the lead.

You can always take a follow-up to ensure proper cleaning of every corner. However, you might have to supervise your kid’s brushing even past 8 years or until you are confident they can do it safely. 

Are fluoride toothpastes good for kids?

Fluoride is a natural mineral found in the best toothpaste for kids that helps protect teeth against the formation of cavities and gradual tooth decay. Most dentists suggest fluoride toothpaste for kids only when they can spit it out after brushing.

So, you must avoid fluoride toothpaste and use good herbal toothpaste for kids. The BabyOrgano Herbal Toothpaste for kids is one of the best toothpaste for kids which is free from fluorides. It has clove, triphala, neem, and other natural ingredients to give clean and healthy teeth.

You should only use a brush and water to clean your baby’s teeth up to 18 months. For toddlers, you may or may not use a low-fluoride toothpaste. Keep the paste quantity as little as the size of a rice grain for your baby, a small pea-sized amount by age 3, and a pea-sized amount from 6 years.

Kids get most of their fluoride from drinking water, so swallowing toothpaste fluorides is not suitable for them. 

If the water in your area is low on fluorides, you must visit a dentist. They are likely to give your child a fluoride treatment. With this, you don’t want to add any more fluoride to your baby’s body in the form of fluoride toothpaste. 

How do you make brushing fun for kids?

Let’s accept the reality - not all kids will love tooth brushing at the start. You must make some extra effort to blend toothbrushing into your kid's routine life. The following are easy ways to ease your baby’s resistance to brushing their teeth. 

1. Be patient

Kids might not be comfortable when using the brush for the first time. As a doting parent, you must act patient and avoid forcing them to use a brush. You can continue using the washcloth or your finger until they get used to the toothbrush. 

2. Make brushing fun

By fun, we mean anything that distracts the little one from focusing on the brushing activity. You can play their favorite rhyme or song and dance to its tunes while brushing. A song highlighting the benefits of brushing can motivate them best. 

Toothbrushing songs like Brushy Brush Your Teeth and If Elmo Had Teeth, sung by Elmo from Sesame Street, are quite popular among the kids. 

3. Do it first

You are a role model for your little one. They would love to copy everything you do. Encourage your child to hold that brush by doing the same in front of them. You can turn it into a fun game like ‘my turn, your turn’ to satiate their curious minds. 

4. Rewards are the cue

Everybody loves getting praise and rewards for the things they do. You can use rewards to encourage your toddler to brush their teeth as a habit. It will make them more disciplined and committed to the goal. 

How to prevent tooth decay in kids?

Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in the plaque formed in your baby’s mouth. When kids eat food with sugar, these bacteria create acids that lead to tooth decay. Here are some effective ways to stop decay in babies with gentle care:

• Ensure good oral health when pregnant. 
• Make your kid brush their teeth twice a day - at morning and at night. You can use BabyOrgano Kid’s Morning Routine Combo for this. 
• Never put your child to sleep with a bottle or food in their mouth. It increases the risk of tooth decay and even choking. 
• Try to avoid giving excess sweet and sticky food items to your child. This includes gummies, candies, cakes, chips, cookies, and crackers. 
• Teach your child to use their tongue to remove the food stuck in their teeth. 
• Always choose a good-quality toothbrush and herbal toothpaste for kids. This oral care combo promotes dental health without harming the body. 
• Visit a dentist with your baby before the age of 1 to ensure healthy growth of teeth and gums. 

Wrapping up

Good oral care is important for your baby’s health and happiness. Strong teeth can ensure proper food chewing, which is essential for nutrient extraction. Also, don’t forget to choose the best toothpaste for kids with natural herbs and a soft bristle toothbrush for gentle care.