Many parents don’t know that they have to start paying attention to their child’s dental health before they develop teeth. It is very important to start healthy habits at a very young age! Here are a few good tips to get your infants started with their oral health.
1. Clean your baby's mouth before their teeth come in.
Wipe the gums off after each feeding with a warm, wet washcloth or a dampened piece of gauze wrapped around your finger.
2. When your baby's teeth do come in, take care of them right away.
Many believe baby teeth do not matter because they will fall out anyway. However, that is not the case! Their first teeth reserve the spacing for the permanent ones and help babies chew and talk. If they're not cared for properly, decay and gum disease can affect the spacing of permanent teeth.
3. The main factor in preventing tooth decay.
The first signs of cavities in baby teeth are discoloration and minor pitting. Putting Baby to bed with a bottle of milk is one of the worst things to do! The milk sits on their teeth throughout the night eating away at the enamel.
4. When should your baby start using a toothbrush and toothpaste?
It is good to use a very small amount of toothpaste when your child hits about age 2. Brush their teeth about twice a day with a pea-size amount of toothpaste and a child toothbrush.
