Although they are temporary, caring for baby teeth is important. Poor oral care early on can cause infections, speech-development problems, and affect the way adult teeth come in.
Before your baby has any teeth, begin wiping the gums with moist gauze or a washcloth daily.
Once teeth begin to emerge, usually around six months of age, brush your child’s teeth twice daily with a child’s toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of training toothpaste. As soon as two teeth are touching, begin flossing. This is a good time to take them for their first visit to see us as well!
Most children will have a full set of teeth by age three. Between ages three and six, children develop the ability to brush their own teeth, but they still need supervision. Playing or singing a song may help your child gauge the proper amount of time to spend brushing, and be sure to correct them if they are not doing it correctly or long enough. Proper oral care takes a certain amount of manual dexterity that young children are just starting to develop, so don’t hesitate to jump in and finish the job until they truly can do it on their own. The right age is different for everyone, so just watch and use your best judgement.
