During the first year of a baby’s life, parents have a lot of milestones to remember, like the child’s first smile, first word, first crawl, first solid food, and of course, the appearance of their first tooth. Even though it can be heartbreaking to consider your child growing up, it can be exciting to watch all the new things in their lives. The first time you brush their teeth is one occasion that often gets left out of baby scrapbooks, though.
Preventive dental care starts even before a baby’s first tooth erupts. The teeth are still there even if they are hidden from view. In fact, during the second trimester of pregnancy, teeth start to form. There are twenty primary teeth in your baby’s mouth at birth, some of which are fully developed in the jaw. Visit Alpine Dental Center for more info.
When is the right time for kids to start brushing their teeth?
Here is when and how to care for those little teeth:
- To remove harmful bacteria from your baby’s gums, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth even before they begin to teethe.
- Use an infant toothbrush to clean your baby’s teeth as soon as they erupt. Use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste—about the size of a rice grain—together with water. Make use of fluoride toothpaste that has been approved by the American Dental Association (ADA).
- You can start flossing between your baby’s teeth as soon as two of them come into contact.
- Your child should start spitting while brushing at the age of two. Giving your child water to spit into can increase the likelihood that they will swallow toothpaste, so avoid doing so.
- Use only a pea-sized quantity of fluoride toothpaste on children three years old & up.
- When brushing, always keep an eye on children under the age of eight, as they may swallow toothpaste.
Tooth decay can affect infants as well. Using a bottle to put a baby to sleep can cause dental damage. When sugars from milk, juice, or formula remain on a baby’s teeth for extended periods, they can erode the enamel, which is the layer of tooth enamel that guards against dental decay. “Bottle mouth” or “baby bottle tooth decay” may result from this.
The front teeth may become discolored, pitted, and pocked as a result. Teeth that have decayed severely may need to have cavities filled in or extracted. Children can transition from bottles to sippy cups (with a hard spout or straw) at six months of age. By doing this, fluids are kept from collecting around a child’s teeth. They will have the coordination and motor abilities necessary to use the cup independently by the time they turn one year old.
