The tongue of your newborn should be cleaned on a regular basis to reduce the risk of fungus, bacteria, or other germs. And to prepare babies to use a toothbrush as their daily routine, it’s of great importance for them to get used to the feeling of dental items in their mouth early. As soon as the newborn erupt, you do need to get in the habit of wiping their tongue, gums, and teeth.
How To Clean Newborn’s Tongue?
Before your baby has teeth, you don’t need a toothbrush, infant tongue cleaner, or toothpaste. Ideally, a newborn’s tongue should be cleaned every feed. Here are some simple ways to clean a newborn’s tongue:Sterilized Cotton Ear Bud
Wash your hands properly before doing this and sterilize your baby cotton ear buds with lukewarm drinking water. After feeding, you can gently roll it on your newborn’s tongue, and remember to wipe the upper and lower gums and avoid too deep in the mouth.Wipe With Cloth or Gauze
A small piece of a washcloth, cotton, or gauze with soaked with lukewarm drinking water can also suffice. Before doing this, you should wash your hands properly with soap and wrap the gauze around your index finger and gently put your finger inside the baby’s mouth. Message the gums’ upper and lower ones to remove any remaining bits of foods or milk. Try to cradle their head in your arms, and you’re in a good position to do this. Use soft, circular motions for better results, and not to put your finger down their throat.What To Do After the Teeth Come In?
Usually, between the age of four and six months, babies’ first tooth comes in. Once those first teeth pop up, the daily oral care routine should change a bit. For easy navigation, a soft, kid-friendly toothbrush with a head designed to fit in a very young child’s mouth would be a good choice. Clean their visible teeth with this toothbrush and continue to use the moistened gauze to clean their gums and tongue.Should I Use Toothpaste?
It’s currently recommended that babies start using a small bit of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) once their first tooth comes in until age three. And they can use a bit more, about the size of a pea from age three to six. However, as each child is different, we recommend consulting with your pediatric dentist about when it is appropriate to integrate the use of toothpaste and a toothbrush into your baby’s daily routine. And they can provide step-by-step instructions for how to clean your newborn’s gums, tongue, and teeth, and which are the most useful products to use when doing so.When engaging in cleaning activities, it is very important that you take a few precautions. And it shouldn’t have any adverse side effects to use a tongue cleaner as long as you move gently and hold your baby appropriately in your lap. It’s normal to have what feels like one million questions when you have a newborn baby. Rest assured, you’ll do a great job in help them have a good oral health and sweet smile.