You do not need to begin brushing with a toothbrush or toothpaste until your infant’s teeth begin to erupt, but you should clean your baby’s gums on a daily basis.
Baby teeth usually begin to appear between the ages of six and nine months. These teeth are crucial because they help your child eat and speak, and they eventually guide the adult teeth into the correct spaces.
Before the First Tooth
Proper dental care actually begins before your child's first tooth appears. Each day, you should run a clean, damp washcloth over the gums to wipe away harmful bacteria.
Making cleaning your baby's gums a part of your daily routine from the beginning will help ensure that by the time your baby's first tooth appears, both you and your baby will be accustomed to regular mouth cleanings. Furthermore, because every baby teethes differently, it can be difficult for a parent to tell when their baby's first tooth is breaking through.
When the First Tooth Appears
As soon as the first tooth appears, you should start brushing with an infant toothbrush and fluoride-free toothpaste.
Baby teeth must be cleaned on a regular basis because infants, like adults, can develop cavities. Once your child has a tooth, plaque can begin to accumulate on the tooth's surface, causing decay.
Children should brush at least twice a day – once in the morning and once before bed. Flossing can begin once your child has two teeth side-by-side.
Tips for Oral Care of Baby Teeth
Even babies can develop tooth decay if good habits aren't practiced. By following these oral health tips, you can help your child's baby teeth remain healthy:
- Avoid using a bottle to put a baby to sleep. It may be convenient, but it can be harmful to the baby's teeth. Sugars from juice or milk can eat away at a baby's enamel for hours, resulting in a condition known as bottle mouth.
- Teach your children good dental care habits early. When you show them how to take care of their baby teeth you are starting positive habits that will last a lifetime.
- Visit a dentist who provides children's services by the age of one year, or around the time when the first teeth appear. This will help preserve the baby teeth until they are ready to fall out and be replaced by the adult teeth.