Taking Care of Your Baby’s Teeth- Begin long before one appears

You might ask- What do I take care of? I see only the pink gums there! Just because you cannot see one, does not mean the teeth are not there. You might be surprised to hear that, your baby’s teeth start forming in the second trimester of your pregnancy! When your baby lets out that first howl of despair and astonishment right after birth, she/he already has 20 primary or milk teeth set perfectly in the jaw!

So it is essential for every parent to start taking the right care for their baby’s teeth, long before they appear.

This article will give you a brief insight about the "how to’s" and "when to’s" of dental care as your child develops from an infant to their toddler years.

• Make it a habit to wash your baby’s gum while bathing,by running a clean, moistened wash cloth over her/his gums. This clears bacteria build up.
• After the appearance of the first couple of teeth, start the use of a toothbrush. Moisten the brush and use a rice grain size of tooth paste. Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, avoid baby toothpastes as they are just over sweetened versions of normal pastes available, and there is no need to feed your baby with that extra sugar
• Introduce flossing when there are enough teeth that touches each other.
• Approximately around the age of 2 ask your child to spit after brushing. Do not give him/her water to swish around, as it increases the chances of swallowing toothpaste.
• Increase the amount of toothpaste from rice grain size to a pea- size when your child reaches the age of 3.
• Always ensure any child under the age of 6 is supervised while brushing to avoid swallowing of toothpaste.

A good oral habit, ensures that your baby is secured from tooth decays. Putting a baby off to sleep with a bottle in his/her mouth may seem convenient, but it increases the chances of harming her/his teeth. The sugar in the milk, left for a long time, eats into the enamel and cause pitting, pocking and discoloration of teeth. If the condition is left unattended or unchanged, it may lead to cavities.

Regular Oral Checkup

The American Dental Association or the ADA, suggests that a baby visits a dentist at least once before his/her first birthday. A dental expert will aid the baby and the parents by teaching them proper brushing and flossing techniques. A visit to a reliable and a renowned dentist in Albany, will also make you cautious about any impending oral diseases that your baby is vulnerable to. There are quite a few pediatric dentists in Albany who can help you with this.

A scheduled visit to a

Kris is a reputed writer and blogger and he loves to share his articles in different internet community over the years.