How to clean a newborn’s tongue

Taking care of a newborn entails many things from feeding them to cleaning them among others. Maintaining baby’s health and hygiene is key to preventing them from getting attacks from infections and disease from fungus, bacteria or germs. Your baby’s oral health, like general body health is key even though they don’t have teeth.

This is because cleaning your baby’s tongue reduces their chance of getting oral thrush. Oral mouth thrush is a usually harmless and easily fungal infection common in new born babies, infants and toddlers. It is characterized by white coating on your baby’s tongue, and white patches in the mouth. Severe cases of oral thrush makes your baby refuse to feed since their tongue becomes sore.

The following is a guide to cleaning your baby’s mouth, especially their tongue in a bid to keep of thrush;

Using a gauze

Clean your hands in warm soapy water and rinse well to avoid transferring germs

Wrap a clean gauze around your finger or a baby tongue cleaner and moisten it with clean warm water

Cradle your baby in one arm to secure them and make feel secure

Gently put a finger through your baby’s lips to open their mouth

Using the wrapped finger, gently rub the surface of your baby’s tongue in circular motions

Repeat the step until all the white build up is clear

Use the same motion on your baby’s inner cheeks and gums

Using cotton buds

Repeat the above procedure but instead of a the clean gauze, use sterilized cotton buds

Used tightly molded buds to avoid leaving cotton strands in your baby’s mouth

Dip the cotton buds in warm clean water

Gently roll the bud on your baby’s tongue

Avoid going deep into your baby’s mouth as the cotton bud might irritate their throat.