Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County I & II
Commack (631) 486-6364
Although babies usually begin to have their first teeth come in between 4 and 7 months of age, it is still important for parents to be proactive about cavity prevention before that. Especially since babies do not typically have any bacteria in their mouths that can cause trouble on its own, it becomes even more pressing for parents to watch their OWN actions since their child can contract dental diseases from them.
To keep your newborns' mouth healthy and clean, we've put together the following list of tips:
Tips for you:
- Do not put anything in your mouth that will come in contact with the baby’s mouth. This includes: spoons, pacifiers, a toothbrush, food, etc.
- Avoid blowing on your baby’s food to cool it down.
- Use water to clean your baby’s pacifier, rather than putting it in your own mouth to clean it.
- Brush your own teeth at least twice a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Eat healthy foods, while avoiding sugary foods, to limit the amount of germs and bacteria in your own mouth.
Tips for your baby:
- Before your baby’s first tooth settles in, wipe the mouth with a wet washcloth each day. Once the baby develops more teeth, you can begin to brush them with a small soft bristle toothbrush. Be sure to use a small amount of toothpaste that includes fluoride.
- Brush those new teeth at least twice per day. Once in the morning and once right before bed.
- Create new bedtime rituals if your current one involves a bottle to soothe the baby to sleep. Sugars from milk and juice can change to acid and damage the teeth.
- Avoid all juices until the baby is at least 6 months old. Be sure to control the portion as well: no more than 6 ounces.
The last and most important tip for your baby is to schedule your baby to have their first pediatric dental visit when the first tooth appears! If you choose to wait, do not wait any longer than the age of one. The earlier your child visits a pediatric dentist, the better!
Give your baby a proper dental home by bringing them to Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County. To schedule your baby’s first dental visit click here or call (631) 486-6364.
Labels: Cavities, Commack, Commack Pediatric Dentist, Medford, Medford Pediatric Dentist, Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County, Preventing Cavities
