Healthy teeth are very important for your child's overall health
Baby teeth usually start to come in at about six months of age. Dental care should start as soon as the first tooth appears.
Gently wipe the front and back of your baby's teeth and gums with a soft washcloth twice a day. Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle. Rock them to sleep instead.
- Get your baby used to drinking water.
- Limit and water down juices.
- Start using a soft toothbrush and non-fluoride toothpaste as more teeth come in.
- Use a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste to brush the teeth of children between 2 and 6 years of age.
- Encourage your child to spit the toothpaste out after brushing. Rinse with water.
- Take your baby to see a dentist for a checkup by one year of age.
Pacifiers
- Do not put anything sweet on pacifiers. This can lead to tooth decay.
- Do not use pacifiers after your child is 12 months of age.
- Long-term use of pacifiers can lead to incorrect positioning of teeth and speech problems.