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All of us know dental care is important for everyone, but what about baby teeth? Baby teeth are already inside your child's jaws at birth. Dentists say that teeth and gum care should begin even before the first baby tooth comes in. Baby teeth help: Tooth decay (cavities) can happen when teeth are not cared for. Cavities are caused by plaque (plak). Plaque is a harmful layer of bacteria that forms on the teeth. When your child eats food or takes medicine that has sugar in it, the bacteria produce acids. These acids harm the teeth and make cavities
form. Cavities happen faster in baby teeth than in adult teeth. Cavities can cause: Before and after the teeth come in, clean your child’s mouth after each feeding or at least twice at day (Picture 2). Be careful that your child is not eating or drinking frequently throughout the day. Each time your child drinks or eats something, within 20 minutes, the sugar in it is changed into an acid.Why Healthy Baby Teeth Are Important
How Many Teeth and When
Tooth Decay
How to Clean Your Child's Mouth
Other Things to Do to Prevent Tooth Decay
- Use a bottle at feeding time only. Do not use a bottle or breastfeeding as a pacifier.
- Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of formula or breastmilk.
- If your baby falls asleep while breastfeeding, remove breast from their mouth.
- Once the first tooth appears, avoid night feedings and frequent, on demand feedings.
- Wean your baby from a bottle to a cup by 12 months of age.
- After your child turns one, if thirsty, they can sip water at any time during the day. Do not give them other things to drink, except at meals.
Fluoride
Fluoride makes teeth stronger and helps protect them from tooth decay. After your child’s first tooth appears, the dentist or dental hygienist may put a coat of fluoride on their teeth.
Diet
- Do not give a child under age one sugary drinks, juice or water. Give only breastmilk or formula. Do not add sugars, like honey, to drinks.
- After 12 months, offer water between meals. Do not give other things to drink except at meals. Rinse the mouth with water after eating anything sugary. Children can occasionally have 4 ounces of 100% juice at a meal. Be sure that you are not giving juice drinks.
- Avoid giving gummy snacks and foods that can stick and stay on teeth for a long time.
- As your child gets older, offer more raw, crunchy fruits and vegetables, cheese and yogurt for snacks. Limit starchy soft foods that can stick to teeth.
Teething
- To help make your child feel better, sometimes it helps to gently rub their gums with a clean finger or give them a clean, cold object to chew on, like a teething ring.
- Your child may drool more, be fussy and have a low fever for one to two days.
Thumb-sucking and Using a Pacifier
Usually there is no damage to the teeth from thumb-sucking or using a pacifier. After age 3, the habit could affect the permanent teeth as they come in.
If you have any questions, ask your child’s dentist, dental hygienist, or health care provider, or call the Dental Clinic at (614) 722-5650.
Dental: Teeth and Gum Care for Infants and Toddlers (PDF), Spanish (PDF), Somali (PDF), Arabic (PDF)
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