Starting Early: The Importance of Pediatric Dental Care for Infants and Toddlers

If you have taken care of your oral health when you are a child, then there is nothing to worry about now!!

Start early than before it’s too late!!

This is not just a proverb - The Department of Pediatric Preventive Dentistry, SRM Kattankulathur Dental College and Hospital. This blog exemplifies the significance of ‘Starting Early: The Importance of Pediatric Dental Care for Infants and Toddlers’. Especially raising awareness among parents about their children’s oral health care.

Briefing you to start the oral health care in early life,

The strengthening of good oral health begins early in everyone’s life. As a parent of the child, they will be focusing on every single thing they do with a lot of care from the first steps to the first words, similarly, they should prioritize their children’s dental health as well.?

Here at SRM Kattankulathur Dental College and Hospital, we have a separate department? - the Department of Paediatric Dentistry, focusing on Paediatric Dental health, preventing cavities, and setting the stage for a healthy smile over a lifetime.

Why early dental care matters the most?

Preventive Measures: Once you have started your dental care early, you will have a chance to detect and diagnose the problems and proceed with fluoride treatments and dental sealants, which can help protect children’s teeth from tooth decay.

Developmental Monitoring: As children grow, their teeth also grow. So pediatric dentists have a greater responsibility of monitoring the child’s teeth growth and development. If they could find any misalignment or improper tooth eruption at a timely intervention, this can restrain you from a serious problem in the future.

Establishing Healthy Habits: ‘Practice makes a man perfect’ following the same in everyone’s life. Habits are developed as they start practicing them from their childhood, likewise, once the children have developed a habit of visiting dental clinics for regular checkups this would continue to their adulthood as well, setting a proper foundation for oral hygiene.

Preventing Early Childhood Caries: You might have heard of ECC!!, if not, it’s all good we are here to guide you, Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is commonly referred as baby bottle tooth decay, but it is entirely preventable. Focusing on your dental problems right from the start can significantly reduce the risks of ECC.

Here are guiding tips for parents, start early with mentioned following steps:

Start Early - Start early is not just the word, take your child to visit the dentist by their first birthday, this is a first step towards protection.

Choose a Pediatric Dentist: Taking them to a pediatric dentist is important as they show kindness and care towards the child create a friendly atmosphere and treat them so that the child won’t be afraid of regular visits.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene: Clean your baby’s gums with a soft cloth or infant toothbrush even before teeth emerge. Once teeth appear, brush them gently with a child-sized toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste.

Watch for Signs of Trouble: Keep an eye out for signs of dental problems, such as tooth discoloration, persistent bad breath, or reluctance to eat. Diagnosing at the early stage can turn aside from worsening.

Following all the dental care mentioned above pediatrics, infants, and toddlers can protect their healthy smiles forever. As the proverb states “Prevention is better than the Cure”. Start early so that you can be able to protect and prevent more dental problems ensuring optimal dental health as they grow.

Remember, it’s never too early to start caring for your child’s teeth!