Guest Author - Susan Thompson

Among the many things that the month of February is known for, it is a little known fact that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. So, to go along with that theme, here are tips to clean your baby’s teeth and to teach good dental hygiene habits to your children.

Did you know that your baby’s mouth should be cleaned after they eat from day one? Yes, even before babies sprout teeth, their mouth should be cleaned with a clean soft cloth at least twice daily. Wrap the clean cloth or gauze around your finger and gently wipe the upper and lower gums clean.

Once those little teeth start to sprout, you can use a soft toothbrush made specifically for babies and water to gently brush their teeth, toothpaste is not recommended at this early age. If you must put the baby to bed with a bottle, make it a bottle of water. Going to bed with milk or juice in the bottle can create cavities. Also, when the teeth start coming in, contact the dentist you plan on using and see what age they start seeing patients. Some dentist will start seeing children when their first teeth start coming in, others will want to wait until children are 2 to 3 years old.

Children around the age of three can understand the theory of spitting out the tooth paste. That is the age in which to introduce toothpaste. Try to avoid the sugary toothpaste which is kind of defeating the purpose of tooth brushing. Look for the ADA seal on the box of toothpaste to ensure that it has the right amount of fluoride to protect tooth enamel. Also around the age of three is when many children want to start doing things for themselves but you should still help with the tooth brushing.

Flossing should be started as soon as your child has a couple of teeth that are touching each other. The easiest way to floss you child’s teeth is to sit on the floor, have your child lay down on your lap with their head on your thighs and their feet by your feet. Have your child open their mouth wide and floss like you would your own teeth. Children of school age should be old enough to floss their own teeth. The new floss sticks are easier for kids to manage than traditional floss. Flossing should be done every night before going to bed.

Remember, if you incorporate good dental habits in your child’s routine from day one, they will keep those habits in their routine as they grow. In next week’s article I will review a few new dental products on the market, and discuss how to handle cavities and dental visit anxiety.