Dental care for children does not begin after the baby teeth all appear. Instead, it starts at birth to prepare the gums for lifelong health and to take care of all teeth from the moment they begin to appear. This also instills in the child the habit of proper dental care from an early age. Dentists agree that, at a minimum, parents should clean an infant’s mouth with gauze or a soft infant toothbrush from birth to roughly six months of age, or whenever the first tooth appears. It is also a good idea to consult with either your dentist or your infant’s doctor regarding liquid flouride supplements.
From six months to one year of age, the child’s teeth should be brushed with a soft infant or child toothbrush after each feeding and at bedtime. At this point, the use of toothpaste is not recommended. Instead, simply wet the toothbrush with water and brush as is. It is also an appropriate time to contact a family or pediatric dentist about an initial dental examination. From one year to two years old, a small amount of toothpaste can be introduced into the brushing regimen as the child becomes old enough to learn how to rinse and spit out the toothpaste instead of swallowing it. Dentists also recommend that you follow your practitioner’s schedule for dental examinations.
Many people may believe that simply because baby teeth will be lost, the health of the baby teeth is not very important. However, dentists will be the first to tell you that this is absolutely not true. There are many problems that can occur from improper care of baby teeth. For example, if a baby tooth decays or is lost too early, the space that results is likely to only be regained later on via orthondicts. Baby teeth with infections can lead to poor development of the permanent teeth that can be evidenced by stains or weakened enamel. Additionally, baby teeth are an important component in the development of proper speech for a child. For all of these reasons and more, dentists are good resources for you to utilize to understand how to best provide care for your young child’s teeth.
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