Infants’ daily diet is mainly breast milk, which is rich in comprehensive nutrition, easy to digest and absorb, and extremely beneficial for promoting the healthy growth of babies. Some new mothers may notice the condition of the baby’s tongue coating and worry about whether oral hygiene is necessary. In fact, if a one-month-old baby does not have oral diseases, there is no need for special cleaning. Mothers should maintain a light diet during breastfeeding, avoid spicy and irritating foods to prevent their own body heat from affecting the baby. With infants having delicate oral cavities, they need careful care.
Concerning infant oral hygiene, there is a general concern that not cleaning can lead to oral thrush. Ensuring proper oral cleaning after feeding can reduce the risk of bacterial growth. For infants around one month old, giving a small amount of warm water after breastfeeding can help with simple oral cleaning. In the absence of special conditions, there is no need to forcefully remove tongue coating.
Methods for cleaning an infant’s oral cavity include:
Gently wipe the inside of the mouth with gauze soaked in warm water, being careful to avoid the deep root of the tongue.
Oral cleaning products designed specifically for infants available on the market can also be used as auxiliary tools.
Having the baby drink some warm water after feeding can help reduce bacterial reproduction.
During feeding, common misconceptions to avoid include:
Breastfeeding during emotional fluctuations, such as feeding immediately after getting angry, may affect the quality of breast milk and the baby’s mood.
Breastfeeding directly after intense exercise may alter the taste of breast milk due to increased lactic acid in the body.
Trying to make the baby laugh while breastfeeding may cause improper swallowing, leading to choking or even aspiration pneumonia.
Eagerly trying to lose weight during the breastfeeding period may lower the quality of breast milk.
Strict scheduled feeding is not recommended; instead, it is advisable to follow “on-demand feeding” and adjust according to the baby’s needs.
Encouraging alternating between both breasts instead of feeding from one side can help maintain a balance in milk secretion.
As for handling tongue coating in two-month-old babies, in most cases, tongue coating produced during breastfeeding will naturally fade over time without requiring specific cleaning. If a thick tongue coating is observed, it may be related to slight body heat due to formula feeding. Increasing intake of plain water is the most natural and effective way to alleviate this, and there is no need for specific intervention for tongue coating.
