How to Care for Your Baby's Teeth
Check whether fluoride is in your water supply., Wipe your baby’s gums every day., Brush teeth daily with an infant toothbrush., Floss between your baby’s teeth., Learn the best techniques for brushing your baby’s teeth., Remove bottles from your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check whether fluoride is in your water supply.
Fluoride can help your baby’s teeth before they grow in.
In general, fluoride helps make your baby’s enamel strong.
Most cities and municipalities put fluoride into the drinking water.
If the water you drink contains fluoride, you’re in luck and do not have to do anything extra.
If the drinking water where you live doesn’t contain fluoride, talk to your doctor or dentist about adding fluoride to your baby’s diet.To check if fluoride is included in your drinking water, you can check your city or municipality website, or call directly and ask.
If you live in a remote area where your water comes from a well, it will not be treated with fluoride unless you have installed a system which does that for you.
However, fluoride is present in most water naturally to some degree, so you should have your well water tested to determine the amount present. -
Step 2: Wipe your baby’s gums every day.
Before your baby’s first teeth come in, and while your baby is teething, you should wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, damp cloth every day.
Wrap the cloth around your index finger, and use your finger to carefully wipe all your baby’s gums.You can also choose to use a small and gentle infant toothbrush directly on the gums if you prefer.
Do not use toothpaste.
Use only water. , Once your baby’s first tooth appears, start brushing your baby's teeth once a day.
At this stage you’ll only need to use a tiny amount of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) and water.Use fluoride toothpaste made specifically for infants or children when brushing your baby’s teeth.
Look for fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association’s (ADA) or Canadian Dental Association’s (CDA) seal of acceptance somewhere on the package.
Continue to wipe your baby’s gums in-between where teeth are growing. , Once your baby has teeth that are located side-by-side and are touching, you can start to floss your baby's teeth regularly., One of the easiest ways to brush your baby’s teeth is to have your baby sit on your lap facing forward.
Your baby’s head can then rest back against your chest.
This puts you in the same position as if you were brushing your own teeth, which will make the process a lot easier.Brush your baby’s teeth using small circles.
Once your baby gets too big to sit on your lap, have your child stand in front of you (on a stool if required).
Your child’s head should be tilted up slightly so you can easily see all her teeth. , While it may be convenient, you should not put your baby to bed with a bottle and allow him to fall asleep with it.
The sugar from the milk or juice in the bottle can harm your baby’s enamel.This is also referred to as bottle mouth.
A sure sign of bottle mouth is when your baby’s front teeth are pocked, pitted, or discoloured.
Unfortunately if a severe case of bottle mouth develops, teeth may need to be removed before they fall out naturally.
On the whole, it's best not to put juice in a bottle at any time, and to limit juice given to babies. , In general, you can wait to take your baby to the dentist either at one year old, or when the first tooth has grown in, whichever happens first.
Your dentist will then be able to show you preventative care tips to ensure your baby’s mouth and teeth stay strong and healthy for life. -
Step 3: Brush teeth daily with an infant toothbrush.
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Step 4: Floss between your baby’s teeth.
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Step 5: Learn the best techniques for brushing your baby’s teeth.
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Step 6: Remove bottles from your baby’s mouth when falling asleep.
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Step 7: Take your baby to the dentist once the first tooth has grown in.
Detailed Guide
Fluoride can help your baby’s teeth before they grow in.
In general, fluoride helps make your baby’s enamel strong.
Most cities and municipalities put fluoride into the drinking water.
If the water you drink contains fluoride, you’re in luck and do not have to do anything extra.
If the drinking water where you live doesn’t contain fluoride, talk to your doctor or dentist about adding fluoride to your baby’s diet.To check if fluoride is included in your drinking water, you can check your city or municipality website, or call directly and ask.
If you live in a remote area where your water comes from a well, it will not be treated with fluoride unless you have installed a system which does that for you.
However, fluoride is present in most water naturally to some degree, so you should have your well water tested to determine the amount present.
Before your baby’s first teeth come in, and while your baby is teething, you should wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, damp cloth every day.
Wrap the cloth around your index finger, and use your finger to carefully wipe all your baby’s gums.You can also choose to use a small and gentle infant toothbrush directly on the gums if you prefer.
Do not use toothpaste.
Use only water. , Once your baby’s first tooth appears, start brushing your baby's teeth once a day.
At this stage you’ll only need to use a tiny amount of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) and water.Use fluoride toothpaste made specifically for infants or children when brushing your baby’s teeth.
Look for fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association’s (ADA) or Canadian Dental Association’s (CDA) seal of acceptance somewhere on the package.
Continue to wipe your baby’s gums in-between where teeth are growing. , Once your baby has teeth that are located side-by-side and are touching, you can start to floss your baby's teeth regularly., One of the easiest ways to brush your baby’s teeth is to have your baby sit on your lap facing forward.
Your baby’s head can then rest back against your chest.
This puts you in the same position as if you were brushing your own teeth, which will make the process a lot easier.Brush your baby’s teeth using small circles.
Once your baby gets too big to sit on your lap, have your child stand in front of you (on a stool if required).
Your child’s head should be tilted up slightly so you can easily see all her teeth. , While it may be convenient, you should not put your baby to bed with a bottle and allow him to fall asleep with it.
The sugar from the milk or juice in the bottle can harm your baby’s enamel.This is also referred to as bottle mouth.
A sure sign of bottle mouth is when your baby’s front teeth are pocked, pitted, or discoloured.
Unfortunately if a severe case of bottle mouth develops, teeth may need to be removed before they fall out naturally.
On the whole, it's best not to put juice in a bottle at any time, and to limit juice given to babies. , In general, you can wait to take your baby to the dentist either at one year old, or when the first tooth has grown in, whichever happens first.
Your dentist will then be able to show you preventative care tips to ensure your baby’s mouth and teeth stay strong and healthy for life.
About the Author
Michael Ryan
Committed to making home improvement accessible and understandable for everyone.
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