Infant Care
The sweetest thing on earth…your baby’s smile! And nothing is more important to us than teaching and helping you take care of that sweet smile. Establishing healthy oral habits early will set the foundation to help your baby’s smile last a lifetime.
Home oral care begins early, well
before the eruption of baby teeth.
How do I Clean My Infant
or Toddler’s Teeth?
Home oral care begins early, well before the eruption of baby teeth. Use a
moistened infant washcloth to gently wipe your baby’s gums once or twice
a day and especially after feedings. Once baby teeth erupt, you can
transition to a finger brush or soft bristled age-appropriate toothbrush.
When brushing teeth, the use of training (non-fluoridated) toothpaste is
safest prior to age 2 but not entirely necessary. A wet toothbrush alone can
also be effective. Allow one of our pediatric dentists to guide you on when
best to transition to a fluoride toothpaste and the amount to use.
When Should My Child First
See a Dentist?
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association recommend that your child receive their first dental exam by their first birthday or within 6 months after the first tooth erupts. By establishing a pediatric dental home for your child early in life, our pediatric dentists will be proactive about providing guidance on oral development, healthy teeth diet, fluoride use, oral habits, injury prevention and oral hygiene.
We know what you are thinking…how on earth are they going to work on my baby? Fear not! This first visit is equally about you as it is about your baby. It is truly an educational visit for the parent to learn the dos and don’ts of good oral health habits while a quick exam of your baby’s mouth with your child across your lap and into the lap of one of our pediatric dentists is all it takes to take a quick peek inside their mouth. Subsequent visits through age 3 are more of the same to monitor your child’s oral health, dental developmental progress and strengthen the good oral habits discussed with you at our first visit.
Your oral care efforts at home and these periodic infant/toddler visits will allow your child to get used to visits to the dental office and not feel threatened when a dental team member is looking inside their mouth.
