Blog

Taking care of a baby’s teeth can get quite tricky and requires extra effort. Monitoring the growth of their milk teeth, keeping an eye out on their food habits, checking for cavities, brushing their teeth regularly are some of the aspects that parents should look into.

Early oral care

Your baby’s oral care can start even before their first teeth start to emerge. The gums could still get infected due to the microbes residing in the mouth. Every time the baby is breastfed, the milk residue could be left on the tongue and gums. The microbes could feed off them and lead to infections, which is why the mouth should be cleaned after every feeding. Wrap a moist washcloth around your finger and gently wipe the gums.

Your baby’s first teeth

Teething is a major phase of every baby’s childhood. The baby would naturally want to bite anything that it gets its hands on due to the irritation that it would feel in the gums. Keep small toys and other items away from them as they could swallow them. Get your child a soft toy to chew on as it promotes the proper growth of the teeth.

Children who are too young wouldn’t be able to brush their teeth on their own. Hence, parents should guide their children in the initial days until they can do it themselves. You can choose toothbrushes that are made especially for babies. It would contain soft bristles and fit on the end of your finger, allowing you to brush your baby’s teeth without hassle. During the teething stages, you need not use toothpaste.

Oral hygiene

Once your baby gets a few more teeth and understands that it should spit out the foam released while brushing teeth, you can start using a small amount of toothpaste while brushing their teeth. Ensure to remove food debris from the teeth surfaces to keep their mouth free from cavities.

First dental consultation

Your baby’s first dental consultation should take place sometime around his/her first birthday. We can start to monitor the growth of their teeth right from infancy, which gives us a better understanding of the growth patterns, alignment of the teeth, infections, cavities, etc. In case any unexpected issue pops up, we could refer to the baby’s dental history to treat the condition better and quicker.

Should you give your baby fluoride?

Fluoride is a mineral that is present in almost all types of toothpaste. It helps to avoid cavities by strengthening the enamel and preventing erosion due to external factors. Make sure you brush your child’s teeth using a fluoride-rich toothpaste. In case the optimum amount of fluoride isn’t received by the body, we can conduct a fluoride treatment to replenish its amount in the teeth.

Schedule an online appointment or call us at (925) 855-1604 to have a consultation with our expert dentists.