Tips for Caring for Baby Teeth 

Having a baby is one of the greatest accomplishments for adults. It is a transition into parenthood that marks the growth of the family. However, raising that baby is not nearly as exciting as having him/her as your child. Many aspects of that child’s life need care, and it is not always fun. When it comes to caring for their health, concerning yourself with body health is not enough. You must be attentive to your baby’s oral health as part of leading a healthy life.

When Do You Need to Start Dental Care for a Baby?

Your infant does not have many dental needs that need caring. However, when your child is 5-6 months, he/she will start teething. This is the stage you ought to start caring for the teething problems of your child to help him/her get comfortable as teeth start showing up.

Still, before the first tooth shows up, you must clean your child’s mouth. Use a damp washcloth to clean your child’s mouth, especially the gums. This will get rid of any harmful bacteria.

​When to Start Cleaning Baby Teeth

Most parents have different opinions on when to start brushing their baby’s teeth. The big question is, ​when did you start brushing your baby’s teeth? If you have not yet started, then this text is exactly for you.

Knowing when to start cleaning your baby’s teeth is an important part of oral health for your child. As soon as your baby’s teeth begin to come in, you should have an infant toothbrush at hand. Use it to brush any bacteria and food residues from the teeth gently. This is essential because your baby should have started eating other foods other than breastfeeding.

While at it, consider infant toothpaste, and use very little of it. You will want to consult your Langley dentist about the best way to do it and about the fluoride content in toothpaste.

When it comes to flossing, wait until your baby has several teeth. Be gentle to prevent hurting your baby’s gums in the process of cleaning.

Why You Need to Clean Your Baby’s Teeth

Some parents wait for too long before starting oral hygiene for their children. This reason is often driven by fear of the unknown. For example, what happens when your child swallows toothpaste? What if you hurt your child’s gums during the cleaning process? All these questions can hold a parent back from ever starting dental cleaning for their baby.

What this does, is that it encourages dental decay. Most people are not aware that babies can have tooth decay too. Even before you introduce hard foods to your child, milk and soft foods can cause dental decay.

For example, if you are one to put a baby to sleep with a bottle, it can harm the teeth. The formula or milk in the bottle will leave residues on the surfaces of your baby’s teeth. The residues can build-up into plaque and cause a situation known as ”bottle mouth” or “baby bottle tooth decay”. This often translates to discolored front teeth, pitted and pocked front teeth, as well as cavities.

Given what is at stake for your child’s teeth, find a comfortable way to clean your baby’s teeth. The last thing you want is to subject your 1-year-old to tooth extraction at such an early stage.

​How To Clean Baby Teeth Naturally

As you learn how to brush your baby’s teeth, finding natural ways to clean them is better than doing nothing at all. The natural cleaning process involves different elements, including changes in how you feed your child. Some of the tips include the following:

• Use a sippy cup – instead of a regular bottle, feed your child with a sippy cup. This narrows the chances of residue from the liquid pooling around your baby’s teeth.
• Control your baby’s fluoride intake – as much as you are not using toothpaste on your child’s teeth, do not deprive them of fluoride that amazing in strengthening teeth and fighting cavities. For such, use fluoridated tap water to regulate the fluoride intake. Otherwise, talk to a Langley pediatric dentist about fluoride supplements for your baby.
• Use a clean washcloth to wipe off any residue from the gums as well as teeth. This works best for kids before they start teething.