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Dental Care for Babies Center - Des Moines, IA

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Des Moines, Iowa

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Dental Care for Babies

When to Start Caring for Your Baby's Teeth

It's a good idea to get in the habit of cleaning your baby's gums even before teeth emerge.

To clean your baby's mouth:

  1. Lay your baby in your lap with his or her head close to your chest.
  2. Gently, but firmly, rub a clean and damp piece of gauze or washcloth along both the upper and lower gums.
  3. Clean the gums at least two times a day -- after breakfast and after the last feeding of the day. Even better -- clean your baby's gums after every feeding.

What Is Teething?

Teething refers to the time when baby teeth (also called deciduous teeth or primary teeth) appear. Generally, teething first occurs between 6 months and 24 months of age. While this process is uneventful in some children; for others, it causes quite a bit of discomfort and irritability.

Check out this tooth chart and learn when to expect your baby's teeth to appear.

What Are Symptoms of Teething?

Symptoms include:

  • Increased irritability
  • Placing objects or fingers in the mouth and biting down on them
  • Increased saliva or drooling
  • Loss of appetite or becoming choosy about foods
  • Tender and swollen gums
  • Rash on cheeks or redness in the area of the cheeks near the affected gums
  • Restlessness
  • Ear pulling, which may be a sign of teething or possibly an ear infection (make an appointment to have your child seen by your doctor or pediatrician)

Teething does not result in fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. If your child experiences these problems, contact your doctor.

What Can I Do to Ease Teething Pain?

  • Massage your child's gums with a clean finger or the back of a small cold spo...

Recommended Reading Related to Dental Care for Babies

Nausea and Vomiting »

Nausea and vomiting facts

  • Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of a disease or condition. The underlying cause of the illness causing nausea and vomiting should be identified and treated.
  • Nausea and vomiting symptom control is important both for comfort's sake and to prevent dehydration.
  • Dehydration can worsen nausea and vomiting.
  • Medication may be available to control symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

Introduction to nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of an underlying illness and not a specific disease. Nausea is the sensation that the stomach wants to empty itself, while vomiting (emesis) or throwing up, is the act of forcible emptying of the stomach. The term "dry heaves" refers to an episode of vomiting where there is no food in the stomach to vomit, and only clear secretions are vomited.

Vomiting is a violent act in which the stomach almost...

Emergency Contact for Des Moines

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Des Moines Hospitals *

Mercy Medical Center Des Moines
1111 6th Ave
Des Moines, IA 50314
(515)247-3121

Iowa Lutheran Hospital
700 E University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50316
(515)263-5612

Blank Children's Hospital
1200 Pleasant St
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515)241-5437

Iowa Methodist Medical Center
1200 Pleasant St
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515)241-6212

Broadlawns Medical Center
1801 Hickman Rd
Des Moines, IA 50314
(515)282-2200

VA Central Iowa Health Care Des Moines
3600 30th St
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515)699-5999

Mercy Franklin Center
1818 48th St
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515)271-6000

Madison County Healthcare System
300 Hutchings St
Winterset, IA 50273
(515)462-2373

Dallas County Hospital
610 Tenth St
Perry, IA 50220
(515)465-3547

Skiff Medical Center
204 N Fourth Ave E
Newton, IA 50208
(641)792-1273

Story County Medical Center
630 Sixth St
Nevada, IA 50201
(515)382-2111

Mary Greeley Medical Center
1111 Duff Ave
Ames, IA 50010
(515)239-2011

VA Central Iowa Health Care Knoxville
1515 W Pleasant St
Knoxville, IA 50138
(641)842-3101

Knoxville Hospital & Clinics
1002 S Lincoln St
Knoxville, IA 50138
(641)842-2151

Boone County Hospital
1015 Union St
Boone, IA 50036
(515)432-3140

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