How To Clean a Baby’s Mouth-Do you wonder how you can help your little one stay orally hygienic? You are on the right page. As a 3x mum, I’m here to guide you on how to do this appropriately without fears.
Oftentimes, mummies assume there is no need to clean a newborn baby’s mouth since they do not eat solid foods. This is a wrong assumption. Good oral hygiene is as important in new babies as it is in older ones and adults.
When Do I Start Cleaning My Baby’s Mouth?
As an adult, anytime you eat food and leave your mouth unwashed, bacteria tend to build up from the food particles leaving an unpleasant mouth odor.
This is also applicable to babies and for this reason, pediatricians recommend that you start cleaning your baby’s mouth soon after birth, at the end of each feed.
Who would not love a clean fresh mouth? Your baby can not be left behind. They want to feel good as well.
Materials Needed To Clean A Baby’s mouth
You do not need many materials to clean your baby’s mouth. What you’d be needing at different ages are:
- Wash clothes or guaze
- Silicone finger brush
- Small brush with soft bristles
- Age appropriate toothpaste
- Glycerine
- Water
Cleaning A Baby’s Mouth
Babies find it difficult to dislodge milk stains from their tongues due to low saliva production. It is important to ensure the stains are cleaned properly to avoid bacterial build-up.
Steps to take while cleaning a baby’s mouth are:
- Wash your hands with soap and water
- Wrap the wash cloth or guaze round your finger
- Or slide a finger into a silicon finger brush.
- Dip the finger into warm water
- Place the finger on the baby’s tongue, make circular movement to clean the milk stain
- Swirl the finger around the cheeks and other parts of the mouth
- Rinse out the wash cloth/guaze and repeat until the tongue is well cleaned.
- For babies with teeth, use the wash cloth or soft brush to clean the teet as well.
- The use of toothpaste should be limited to just a little smear for kids over six months old.
- Kids should be taught how to brush as soon as they are able to grab a toothbrush.
- Assist and monitor their teeth brushing until the age of 5-6 when they must have learnt how to brush very well.
What is Oral Thrush?
Sometimes, you may be trying your possible best to clean all the white stains off your baby’s tongue to no avail. This may cause you little worries as a mum but hear this..
White patches on babies’ tongue that won’t go away is most likely a thrush. A type of yeast infection that leaves white or yellow patches on the tongue, cheeks, or roof of the mouth. You will need to see a doctor to check it out.
If you are a first-time mum with many questions on how to navigate motherhood, this article will be helpful too.