Questions on Baby Tooth Care
Serving St. Paul, Minneapolis, Woodbury and the surrounding areas
Q: How can I care for my baby's gums?
A: After feeding, gently wipe your baby's gums with a clean, gauze pad.
Q: How can I help with teething?
A: The discomfort of teeth coming into the mouth can cause your baby to become irritable. In addition to fussiness, signs of teething include drooling and the urge to mouth objects. You can ease some of the discomfort by:
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Lightly rubbing your baby's gums with a clean finger or a gauze pad
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Giving baby a cool teething ring to chew on
Q: What should I do about thumb or pacifier sucking?
A: Most contemporary pediatric health providers agree that these habits have important formative and nurturing functions, at least for the first few years of life. The duration and intensity of sucking seem to be more important in determining dental changes.
Safety is a critical issue with pacifiers. A pacifier should be:
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Resistant to breakage
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Designed to prevent airway obstruction
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Kept clean
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Never secured around your child's neck
Most children will stop sucking between ages two and four on their own. The habit should be discouraged after age four years.
Q: When will my baby's teeth come in?
A: 20 teeth will erupt in the first three years. The lower two front teeth are typically the first, usually around six months after birth. Do not be concerned if your baby is a little late. By age three, all 20 primary teeth should be present.
Q: How soon should my baby start having tooth care?
A: As soon as the first teeth appear it's time to start taking care of them on a daily basis to help prevent cavities. Giving your baby regular gentle oral cleanings after each meal instills good habits early in life.
Q: What is baby bottle tooth decay?
A: You can avoid it! Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when a child's teeth are frequently exposed to sugary liquids for long periods of time. Among these liquids are milk (including breast milk), formula, fruit juice and other sweetened liquids.
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Never use a feeding bottle as a pacifier
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If you must give your baby a bottle at bedtime or naptime, make sure it contains plain water
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Do not give a baby a pacifier that has been dipped in honey
Q: When should I start brushing my baby's teeth?
A: You should start cleaning your child's teeth as soon as they appear. A pea-size dab of fluoride toothpaste can be used after the child is old enough to be instructed not to swallow it.
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One of the best ways to encourage brushing is to be a good role model
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Brushing twice daily gives increased fluoride applications to help strengthen tooth enamel and more opportunities to remove plaque
Q: What is the best way to brush a baby's teeth?
A: For infants, use a simple, gentle, short, back and forth motion to brush and remove plaque. You should start flossing your child's teeth as soon as they come in.
Q: What is a good diet for healthy baby teeth?
A: Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth. Choose nutritious food such as vegetables, low-fat yogurt, fruits, and low-fat cheese.
Q: Why are enamel and fluoride important?
A: Enamel, the hardest substance in the body, is the outermost layer of the tooth. It protects the interior of the tooth from decay. But bacteria are always in the mouth regardless of the person's age, and their excretions are acidic. A build-up of excretions starts to eat into tooth enamel.
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Fluoride, a naturally-occurring substance, strengthens tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay
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Some common sources of fluoride include drinking water, fluoride-containing toothpastes and fluoride mouth rinses
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Be sure to follow instructions closely, because too much fluoride can cause deep stains which will not respond later to any tooth whitening procedure
Q: Can antibiotics stain my child's teeth?
A: Yes. Some types of antibiotics can permanently discolor the teeth. Be sure to discuss this with your pediatrician or family practitioner when antibiotics are prescribed.
Q: When can a child start using a cup instead of a bottle?
A: Because decay can destroy the teeth of an infant or young child, parents should encourage their child to drink from a cup by their first birthday.
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The best training cup for your child is a no-valve training cup.
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The no-spill cups include a valve beneath the spout, which does stop spills. However, cups with valves do not allow a child to sip. They act the same way as a bottle, which defeats the purpose, as it prevents your child from learning to sip.
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Do not let your child carry the training cup around. That will cause the habit of at-will, frequent sips of sugary liquids, which encourages tooth decay.
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Once your child has learned to sip, the training cup should be retired and exchanged for a regular cup.
If you would like to know more about caring for your child's teeth and teaching good dental habits right from the start, please call 651-739-8573 or email Dr. Nippoldt today for a complimentary consultation. Our office serves the St. Paul, Minneapolis, Woodbury, Hudson, WI and surrounding areas.
