Oral health is important but often overlooked. Good dental care should start early to promote healthy teeth and habits. If you would like to know more, check out these three tips for your child's dental care. 

1. Start Early

You want to start your child's oral care early. Ideally, even before they have teeth, keep their gums clean to prevent gum irritation. At first, you don't need any toothpaste, but once your child can properly spit on demand, you can start using toothpaste. You should start taking your child to the dentist around the time the first tooth erupts.

Your child's teeth start to erupt around 6 months, and they continue to erupt until they're almost 3. By then, your child should have or almost have all their primary teeth. The primary teeth start falling out at about age 6 and continue until your child is about 12.

The primary teeth serve many purposes. First, like permanent teeth, they help your child chew food and speak properly. Plus, they serve as placeholders for the primary teeth. For this reason, if primary teeth are allowed to rot, it can lead to pain, difficulty eating, difficulty chewing, and crooked permanent teeth.

2. Consider Sealants and Fluoride               

Anyone can request sealants and fluoride treatments, but kids can really benefit from them. Sealants are like thin armor for your teeth, protecting them against decay. Dentists suggest applying them to molars because molars are hard to brush and have many narrow grooves on the chewing surface. This makes it easy for kids to miss plaque, increasing the risk of decay.

Fluoride helps strengthen enamel, but while teeth are still growing, it also helps form strong enamel. Some cities put fluoride in the drinking water, but if your city does not, your child drinks bottled water, or your child has a deficiency, they may need fluoride treatments to help form hard enamel.

3. Ask About Orthodontic Treatment

Because primary teeth serve as placeholders for permanent teeth, your dentist can often tell if your child will have orthodontic issues in the future. They may even spot habits or mistakes that increase the risk of issues. Thumb sucking, for example, can increase the risk of an open bite. They can give you advice on how to best protect your child's teeth.

Even if your child doesn't need braces yet, some treatments should start early. If your child needs their palate expanded, for example, it's easier to do this during development.

Your child needs a lot of guidance, including guidance with their oral health. Even primary teeth need to be cleaned and protected. If you would like to know more, contact a pediatric dental clinic in your area today.