Check And Clean Your Baby's Teeth

Check Your Baby's Teeth

Healthy teeth should be all one color. If you see spots or stains on the teeth, take your baby to your dentist. Clean your baby's teeth as soon as they come in with a clean, soft cloth or a baby's tooth brush. Clean the teeth at least once a day. It is best to clean them right before bedtime.

By about age 2, your child should have most of his or her baby teeth. At this age, you can start brushing their teeth with a small drop of fluoride toothpaste. Very young children can not get their teeth clean by themselves. Until your children are about 7 years old, you should brush their teeth after they do.

Feed Your Baby Healthy Food

Choose foods that are not high in sugar. Give your child fruits and vegetables instead of candy and cookies.

Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

• Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle at night or at nap time. (If you put your baby to bed with a bottle, fill it only with water.) Milk, formula, juices, and other sweet drinks such as soda all have sugar in them. Sucking on a bottle filled with liquids that have sugar in them can cause tooth decay. Decayed teeth can cause pain and extra trips to the dentist.
• During the day, do not give your baby a bottle filled with sweet drinks to use as a pacifier.
• If your baby uses a pacifier, do not dip it in anything sweet like sugar or honey.
• Near your child's first birthday, you should teach your child to drink from a cup instead of a bottle.

Take Your Child to the Dentist

Ask your dentist when to bring your child in for their first dental visit. Usually, the dentist will want to see a child between ages 1 and 2. At this first visit, your dentist can quickly check your child's teeth.

Last Editorial Review: 10/3/2005

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