Your new baby will start teething before you know it! Right from the start, establish good oral hygiene habits and good nutritional habits. The two go hand-in-hand, and will help ensure a healthy mouth for a lifetime. The American Pediatric Association recommends having your baby seen by a dental professional with the eruption of their first teeth or by their first birthday. 

 

Baby teeth are very important; they help kids chew their food, learn to speak and hold space for the grown up teeth that will be coming in. Kids don’t always realize when they have a toothache, especially little ones. Make sure you inspect their mouth on a regular basis, looking for any bright white or dark spots. The idea that “they’re just baby teeth '' is obsolete; those teeth have important jobs through the age of 12 years old! Brighter Maine Smiles can help with a baby's first visit and to find your child a dental home.

 

Help your baby get comfortable with oral care before the first tooth erupts by using a baby wash cloth to gently clean their gums every day. Starting the habit early will let them get used to you cleaning their teeth and mouth. Don’t share food and drinks with your baby because you can transmit the bacteria that causes dental disease to your child.

 

Never, ever, put a baby down to sleep with a bottle of juice…water only! Juice can pool inside the upper lip and cause severe cavities called baby bottle decay.

 

Because young children do not have the manual dexterity to brush and floss well, parents and caregivers will have to help every morning and night until age 7 or 8. There are age appropriate brushes for each stage and floss sticks may be the easiest to use. When baby teeth are touching each other, you must floss in between to clean out the germs that cause cavities. The dental hygienist at Brighter Maine Smiles can apply a fluoride varnish to strengthen enamel and help prevent cavities.