How Soon is Too Soon for Dental Care?
by jmmillerThis is a trick question… it’s never too soon to begin promoting good oral health. Since your baby’s teeth actually began developing the second trimester of pregnancy, they have 20 primary teeth in the jaw. Before the first tooth even begins to show, there are measures that you can take to prevent the build up of harmful bacteria in baby’s mouth.
After feedings, you can rub baby’s gums with a soft cloth or piece of gauze. This gets rid of any bacteria on the gums. Once your child has broken their first teeth, use a soft toothbrush after meals and before bed. Early dental care is just as much about forming good habits as it is about cavity prevention.
One habit that seems harmless enough, but can actually undermine your cavity prevention measures, is allowing your child to fall asleep with a bottle in their mouth. “Bottle mouth” occurs when the sugars in juice or milk sit on the teeth long enough to wear away at the enamel. This can easily be avoided by breaking the habit of letting your child take a bottle to bed.
Brushing your child’s teeth after meals and before bed may seem pointless when they only have a few teeth, but it is teaching them that this is a routine activity that we do every day. Those few teeth that they do have need protection too!
The American Dental Association recommends that your child be taken for their first visit with a dentist before their first birthday. The dentist will help you to understand when to start flossing, when fluoride treatments will begin (usually around 36 months), how to ward off cavities and any other oral and dental health questions you may have.
Clearly, it is never too early to start practicing good dental health with your children. Starting early could save you money on dental bills in the long run!
Related: