Approved Tips for Your Baby’s Teeth

All parents look forward to the day their babies grow their very own first set of teeth.

An often-celebrated milestone in their early lives, not only does this signify their transition to more solid food, but also the beginning of their very own dental care regimen, hand-in-hand with their parents and guardians. We consulted the dentists of Affinity Dental regarding their top advice when dealing with baby’s teeth. Here are their opinions:

1. Bring them to the dentist immediately

As soon as your baby’s first piece of tooth pokes out, make it a point to rush to the dentist for your toddler’s initial assessment. In this session, you will be given basic care instructions to safeguard your baby’s pearly whites.
As a side note, do not bring your babies only when they already experience complications — this associates dentists with pain, which negatively impacts the hassle-free dental experience that dentists provide. In a way, this may be detrimental to future dentist visits as they may develop trauma or fear.

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It is also important to note that some dentists prefer parents to bring their babies even before their first tooth erupts — this is because dentists will likewise guide parents on proper gum care, and may already set-up a working schedule on appointments of babies. Some, on the other hand, would suggest to visit the dentist by the baby’s first birthday, at max.

2. Never leave your baby alone with a feeding bottle

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The rumors and stories are actually true — leaving feeding bottles with your child may cause tooth decay. Due to the extensive exposure of sweet liquids, such as milk for babies, bacteria may develop, which causes decay. Make sure to remove the bottle when your kid falls asleep. As a step above that, you may even want to rinse your baby’s mouth with some water after feeding some milk or juice.

3. Make brushing a habit

At the earliest stage possible, inculcate the importance and value of brushing teeth at least twice a day. At the very least, make it a habit to brush teeth before heading to bed, because that’s the longest time the mouth will have uninterrupted exposure to the substances which may rot the teeth.

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The earlier this routine is established, the easier it is for your child to do this on a daily basis, and the harder it is to stop this daily muscle memory. Making each brushing session memorable could be integral to this early process, which means that material such as attractive toothbrush, bathroom toys, and even exciting fluoride toothpaste flavors can be employed.

4. Skip “baby toothpaste”

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There are several kinds of fruity toothpastes in the market specifically made to be “child-friendly”. You should skip these and use those with fluoride immediately — these are the best cavity fighters, so there’s no downside to using them as early as possible. Your child may even be thankful for it down the line, due to their better state of teeth than their peers.
For babies, a thin layer of toothpaste will suffice. As the child grows, continually adjust the amount of toothpaste. As a final note, make sure to pair these with a soft toothbrush.