Early Dental Hygiene For Your Teething 4 Month Old

By now your teething 4 month old should have received their first tooth and you might be wondering if now is a good time to worry about his or her oral hygiene. The truth of the matter is that daily oral care can and should start before the first tooth even emerges. Early dental care is incredibly important because it not only maintains strong primary teeth, but can ensure long term tooth development as well. The plaque-causing bacteria responsible for tooth decay can manifest even in a child’s gums which can make early tooth emergence difficult and cause potential complications in your child’s oral development.

Some people tend to think that early dental hygiene isn’t necessary. That, since the first set of teeth will eventually fall out, it’s okay not to pay any attention to them and simply let them rot out. Unfortunately, all this accomplishes is allowing tooth decay to weaken and remove the primary teeth sooner than intended. This leaves gaps in the gums which the permanent teeth will rush to fill. Some will crowd into the same gaps causing a permanent misalignment which will require extensive dental work and possibly surgery. Before the teeth arrive, it is very important to soothe and wash your child’s gums since those are the foundation for healthy teeth. This is done simple enough with a damp washcloth as well as an infant toothbrush, but you’re going to want to steer clear of toothpaste until your child learns to spit it out. Toothpaste can be very toxic if ingested and children don’t always realize this. Gently wipe your child’s gums with the washcloth or toothbrush dipped in water. If your child does have a tooth, wipe it gently with the toothbrush but, again, refrain from toothpaste. Doing this daily will promote healthy gums and strong tooth development. Another important tip is never let your child go to bed with a bottle. The collective milk or juice can pool in your child’s mouth while they sleep creating a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to illness as well as tooth decay.

As more teeth present themselves and your child grows older, you can move on to toothpastes designed especially for children and always instruct them to spit it out when they are finished. If you wipe your baby’s gums daily and wash out their mouth, you’ll be taking the steps necessary to ensure healthy dental hygiene in your teething 4 month old.