Dental hygiene is important for babies as much as it is important for grown-ups who actually have teeth. Just like when you provide nutritional food for your baby, you should also take care of his/her dental hygiene. Being a new parent, you will probably wonder how you should clean your baby’s tongue, knowing it is not a simple task. You should be prepared for a lot of crying while you clean the baby’s tongue. No matter how much the baby cries, do not forget that this needs to be done, and it is for your baby’s benefit.
Here is why you should clean the baby’s tongue:
One of the most important tasks a parent should do on a daily basis is cleaning the baby’s tongue. It might look simple, but the reality is that this task can will be tricky to perform. If you manage to clean your baby’s tongue regularly, it will help to prevent bacterial accumulations and bad breath, thus lowering the risk of gum diseases and oral infections.
Cleaning your baby’s tongue and gums is important even before the baby’s teeth come out. When you massage and clean your baby’s gums, it will help with the process of teething, and also it will ensure proper dental hygiene.
How should you clean your baby’s tongue?
So, teeth or no teeth, you should be cleaning your baby’s tongue and thus maintain good oral hygiene. Below you will find the steps towards properly cleaning your baby’s gums and tongue:
The first thing you should do before you start cleaning the baby’s tongue is to wash your hands. Your hands need to be clean before you go and stick them in your baby’s mouth. Cleaning your baby’s tongue can be done either with a finger cloth or gauze wrapped around your fingers. Medical stores offer tongue-cleaners if you want to use that. If you decide to use gauze, dampen the gauze with warm water and put it around your finger. Find a comfortable position for your baby and proceed to clean his/her mouth. Carefully open the baby’s mouth and insert your finger to clean his/her tongue by gently scraping the tongue using a circular motion.
After you have cleaned the baby’s tongue, you should proceed to clean the baby’s gums as gently as you can. There are gum cleaners you can use to remove build-ups, but if they don’t work, make sure you consult your doctor for a piece of advice. It is not recommended to use fluoride paste because the baby most likely will ingest it. The cleaning procedure should be done at least once a day after feeding. You can also use soft brushes, which are designed for the sole purpose of cleaning a baby’s tongue and gums, but before you decide to buy one, make sure your doctor approves it first.
What should you keep in mind before and during this process?
As a parent, there are certain things you will need to do to ensure that you are maintaining proper oral hygiene for your baby. The moment the baby’s teeth break out, you should start him/her with regular visits to the dentist. Usually, the baby’s first teeth should come out between 3 and 9 months of age, and as soon as that happens, you are recommended to do regular visits to the dentist. The dentist will do a complete dental examination and will let you know whether you should start using fluoride paste or not yet. Every time there is something you find a bit concerning about your baby’s dental health, do not hesitate to ask advice from your doctor or dentist. Avoid taking risks or trying to do something you are not sure about. Simply follow the dentist’s instructions, and you are on a good way to properly keep your baby’s dental health.
More tips on how to keep your baby’s tongue clean:
We made sure to let you know all the required steps you need to take to maintain proper dental hygiene for your baby, but there are a few more tricks that might help you. The tips you will find below are more like safety measures, so it’s in your best interest to read them.
Water is the best thing to use for cleaning your baby’s tongue. As we said before, you should use a cotton cloth or gauze to dip into that water and proceed to clean. Always make sure the water is not too hot, or it will hurt your baby. To keep your baby calm while doing this, you will need to find some fun activities to keep him/her occupied.
If there are white particles stuck to your baby’s tongue, you can clean them by using a little bit of toothpaste, but you will need to rinse it off, or your baby could swallow it and cause him/her discomfort. While you are cleaning the tongue, make sure you are also cleaning the gums and cheeks. If your baby is crying and gets irritated, wait until he/she gets into a better mood and continue with the process. And never forget to visit your dentist regularly.
When is the best time to start brushing your baby’s teeth?
From the first day the baby’s teeth come out, you can start with brushing. As mentioned above, you can use gauze, damp cloth, or finger brush to clean the baby’s tongue and teeth. When the teeth start coming out, you should brush them in the morning and before the baby’s bedtime.
Is it recommended to use toothpaste for the baby’s teeth? You can only use a smear of fluoride toothpaste when you brush your baby’s teeth. It is highly recommended to regularly check with your pediatrician about your baby’s oral health. You should also check with a dentist to get advice on how to properly maintain the baby’s oral hygiene. It might sound weird, but oral hygiene is important from the first days of your baby’s life. Maintaining good oral health will only lead to a happier and healthier baby.
