Clean your baby’s teeth as soon as they come in with a clean, soft cloth or a baby's toothbrush. At about age 2, most of your child's teeth will be in. Now you can start brushing them with a small drop of fluoride toothpaste. Young children cannot get their teeth clean by themselves. Until they are 7 or 8 years old, you will need to help them brush. Try brushing their teeth first and then letting them finish. And be sure that you put the toothpaste on the brush----use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste
Prevent Baby Bottle Decay: Do not put your baby to bed with a milk bottle at night or at naptime. Milk, formula, juices and other sweet drinks when stay in contact with babies’ teeth for prolonged time cause rapid and significant decay in their teeth.
Fluoride: Using fluoride toothpaste and drinking fluoridated water can help protect teeth from decay. Water is fluoridated in about two-thirds of cities and towns in the United States. If your water is not fluoridated or if your children's teeth need more fluoride to stay healthy, a dentist can prescribe it in the form of a gel, mouth rinse, or tablet.
Dental Sealant:Sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. The chewing surfaces of back teeth are rough and uneven because they have small pits and grooves. Food and germs can get stuck in the pits and grooves and stay there a long time because toothbrush bristles cannot brush them away. Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as the teeth come in -- before decay attacks the teeth. Teenagers and young adults who are prone to decay may also need sealants.
Routine Dental Visit: Ask your dentist when to bring your child in for his first visit. Usually, I would like to see a child by his first visit. At this first visit, I would usually do a visual exam and make child familiar with dental office.
2. How to prepare my child for first dental visit?
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), your child should visit the dentist by his/her 1st birthday. You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better.
It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as needle, pull, drill or hurt. Our dental office makes a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to the child
