Dental Care for Your Baby
Follow these guidelines and your son or daughter will be on the way to a lifetime of healthy smiles!
Caring for Gums
Even before your infant’s first tooth appears, the gums can benefit from your careful attention. After breast- or bottle-feeding, wrap one finger with a clean, damp washcloth or piece of gauze and gently rub it across your baby’s gum tissue. This practice both clears your little one’s mouth of any fragments of food and begins the process for building good daily oral care habits.
Baby’s First Tooth
When your baby gets their first tooth it is time to get a toothbrush. Silicone finger brushes can be a helpful tooth to get you and your baby acquainted with toothbrushing when a tooth is first coming in, however, the silicone bristles don’t always clean effectively. We recommend a soft children’s toothbrush for brushing time. Toothbrushes for infants and young children typically have a thicker handle for them to grasp and have a small toothbrush head making it easier for you to access the teeth! If your little one does not react well don’t give up! Consistency is key in this learning period.
Alternate methods to clean an infant’s teeth during nighttime feedings can include wiping the teeth with a damp cloth to remove milk from the teeth.
Brushing with Toothpaste
There are two types of toothpaste for children: Training toothpaste (typically a gel without fluoride) and children’s toothpaste (fluoride present and other typical ingredients seen in adult toothpaste).
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all children brush twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste. It is normal and expected for most young children to eat some if not all of the toothpaste. To make sure that they are not getting too much fluoride, we recommend that children under 3 years of age should use a smear of toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. Children ages 3 -6 years should use a pea size amount. Continue to practice spitting as part of the oral hygiene routine.
Avoiding Cavities
There are many factors that are involved with developing cavities. What we can control is diet and hygiene. We recommend brushing 2x/day and floss at night if the teeth are touching.
For infants, it is important for them to get the nutrition they need. Trying to have a schedule with nursing or bottle feeding can help protect the teeth so the teeth are not in constant contact with formula or breast milk. Avoid going to bed with a bottle with milk, juice (even if it is watered down).
For children, food that are high in sugars (natural sugars included!) and carbohydrates are very good at causing cavities! Switching from crackers and fruit to meats, cheese and/or vegetables for snacks can help keep the teeth healthy. Our pediatric dentists are happy to discuss diet challenges during any routine dental visit.
First Visit to the Dentist
It’s recommended that you bring your baby in for a visit within six months of the first tooth’s eruption – usually around his or her first birthday. Since decay can occur in even the smallest of teeth, the earlier your baby visits us, the more likely he or she is to avoid problems.
We’ll look for any signs of early problems with your baby’s oral heath, and check in with you about the best way to care for your little one’s teeth. Remember that preparing for each dental visit with a positive attitude goes a long way toward making your child comfortable with regular checkups.
Setting a Good Example
Did you know that taking care of your own teeth can help your child? Caregivers with untreated cavities can transfer cavity creating bacteria to others, so taking care of your teeth will also help your child.
Children are expert mimics and you can take advantage of this talent. Brush and floss while your child is watching or include younger children in an older sibling’s routine. Most children do not have the dexterity necessary to clean their own teeth until they are older (7-8 years) so you will need to have a turn brushing their teeth as well.
As soon as your child shows interest, offer a toothbrush of his or her own and encourage your toddler to “brush” with you. (You’ll find toothbrushes with chunky, short handles that are easy to grip.) Most children don’t have the dexterity necessary to clean their own teeth thoroughly until they’re about six or seven, so you’ll have to do that part of the job.
Try different tactics to make brushing fun: flavored toothpaste, a toothbrush with a favorite character on it, or singing songs about brushing. The primary goal is to instill healthy oral habits at an early age to set your child up for a lifetime of healthy, cavity-free teeth!
