Oral hygiene is an essential prevention of all dental problems. The role of the parent in the daily care of the child's teeth is very important, as it determines whether the child's teeth will be healthy and develop correctly. Even before the first teeth appear, it is a good idea to start oral hygiene routines to get the little one used to it. The diet of both the pregnant woman and the baby who is about to have his first teeth is also extremely important.
Appropriate actions
In order to effectively and correctly carry out any oral hygiene procedures on a child, it is important for the parent to take care of the hygiene of their hands. After washing hands, it is necessary to prepare gauze pads or other necessary accessories and a glass of lukewarm water or chamomile infusion. A gauze or handkerchief should be wrapped around the finger and then dipped in the prepared water (infusion). Thus prepared, the parent can proceed with the procedures, which consist of gently inserting the finger into the baby's mouth and rubbing the gingival shaft and cheeks, as well as the teeth that have already appeared. It is important not to do this by force, but to try to encourage the child to cooperate - if the child does not want to open his mouth, the finger can be placed in the corner of the mouth and the inner part of the cheek rubbed gently. The gum shafts can then be rubbed when the child opens his mouth again. It is important that the child wants to cooperate and does not resist the rubbing, so that he or she does not associate it badly - as pain or compulsion [1]. A pleasant massage - this is what the child should associate with daily grooming. During all hygienic procedures, care should be taken not to injure the child, damage mucous membranes, cause pain or force the child to do anything. Caution and gentleness are the key to success [3].
Older children
When deciduous teeth and molars appear, one can move from brushing with gauze to brushing with a tooth brush - initially with soft bristles so as not to irritate the sensitive mucous membranes that are present in the mouth.
The variety of toothbrush choices is so great that they can be selected and adapted individually to the child in question - from traditional toothbrushes to electric toothbrushes that have the function of playing music while brushing.
The brushing habit itself is extremely important, but this does not mean that the hygiene routine is performed correctly. Therefore, parental supervision is necessary, mainly to make the child aware of what to pay the most attention to during oral care [1]. It is the task of the parents to motivate the child to brush his/her teeth regularly, to choose the right toothpaste and to show him/her how to clean his/her teeth properly. It is important that the child does not swallow the toothpaste after brushing and that he or she knows how to brush thoroughly for a better result [3].
