Even before the first tooth appears, good oral care helps prevent issues later in life, like tooth decay or cavities and gum irritation, and helps build good habits for a healthy smile. Baby teeth play an important role – they help with chewing, speaking, jaw development, and saving space for adult teeth.
With a few simple steps, you can protect your baby’s smile and set them up for a healthy future.
Daily Oral Care
- Clean Inside the Mouth: Gently wipe gums, cheeks, and tongue with clean gauze or a washcloth at least once a day to remove bacteria.
- Look for Signs of Oral Issues: Check your baby’s mouth regularly for anything unusual, like white spots that look like cottage cheese. These could mean there is a yeast infection. Contact your health care provider or dental professional if you notice any changes.
- Brushing Teeth: Brush twice a day, after breakfast and last feeding of the night, with a small, soft toothbrush once your baby’s teeth grow in.
A clean tooth will look shiny. Plaque makes the tooth look dull, and it may be clear, white or colored from food items and drinks. To keep healthy teeth, plaque must be removed every day.
Engage in Oral Health Habits as a Family
Set a great example by practicing good oral hygiene with members of the family. Encourage:
- Brushing teeth twice a day with non-fluoridated/training toothpaste and a soft toothbrush
- Flossing daily before bedtime
- Choosing water and healthy food items and limiting sugary food items and drinks
- Visiting a dental professional regularly for cleanings and care
Teething
Baby teeth typically start coming in between four to six months of age, although some babies are born with teeth, and some babies get teeth as late as 12 months of age.
Teething Symptoms
- Drooling
- Fussiness or irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Slightly raised temperature (under 100.4° F) – Contact your health care provider if your baby has a fever higher than 100.4° F or is vomiting, has diarrhea, or has a rash.
- Loss of appetite
How to Soothe Teething Pain
- Provide your baby with clean and cool, firm teething rings or pacifiers (not frozen)
- Use a clean, cold washcloth to gently massage your baby’s gums
- Provide cool, soft foods like yogurt or applesauce if your baby has started solids
Your baby should never chew on items that have small pieces, could be broken, or are electrical.
Dental Health Visits
First Visit
Visit a dental professional by your baby’s first birthday. Your dental professional will:
- Check your baby’s mouth for healthy development
- Provide personalized advice on how to care for your baby’s teeth
- Your dental professional may also offer topical fluoride to help prevent tooth decay or cavities.
Maintaining Regular Dental Visits
- Visit a dental professional at least once per year or more often as recommended.
- Contact a dental professional if you have questions or notice anything unusual.
Introducing Toothbrushing
When Teeth Appear: Switch to a small, soft toothbrush when your baby’s first tooth emerges. Use non-fluoridated/training toothpaste when brushing.
Brush Twice a Day: Brush your baby’s teeth twice a day, after breakfast and last feeding/burping of the night.
Health Feeding Habits
Consult with your baby’s health care provider on breastfeeding, formula, and introducing solid food and water.
- Healthy Food Options: When your baby is ready for solid food (around 6 months), start with nutritious options like soft fruits and vegetables, soft-cooked lean meat or other proteins, whole-grain products, cheese, eggs, and yogurt.
- Limit Sugary Drinks and Food Items: Sugary drinks and food items can lead to tooth decay or cavities.
- Provide babies with healthier alternatives, like fruit instead of juice.
- Offer water several times a day once introduced.
- Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle of milk, juice, or sugary drinks.
- Avoid dipping pacifiers in any sweet food items or drinks.
- Safety: Cut, grind, or mash hard-to-chew foods. Feed your baby in an upright position and always monitor when feeding to prevent choking.
Importance of Vitamin D
Vitamin D supports bones and healthy teeth, by helping the body absorb and keep enough calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D also plays a role in the immune system. Low levels of vitamin D in children are associated with higher cavity rates.
- Babies younger than 12 months old need 400 IU of vitamin D each day.
Getting Enough Vitamin D
Supplements
- Breastfed and partially breastfed infants should be supplemented with 400 IU a day of vitamin D beginning in the first few days of life.
- All non-breastfed infants, as well as older children, who are consuming less than 32 ounces per day of vitamin D-fortified formula, should receive a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU a day.
- Children with an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, such as those taking certain medications and with chronic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, may need higher doses of vitamin D. Consult your pediatrician.
Natural Sources
Food that contains vitamin D include salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, shiitake mushrooms, and hard boiled eggs.
Enriched foods are another way to increase the vitamin D in your child’s diet. Look for foods fortified with vitamin D such as milk, cereal, orange juice, and yogurt.
Vitamin D is also made by your child’s body with the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When your child is exposed to sunlight, it helps his body synthesize vitamin D in the skin. And it doesn’t take much time in the sun to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D.
However, not all children get enough sunlight, particularly during certain times of the year or in northern regions of the U.S. Dense cloud covers and high levels of air pollution can reduce the ultraviolet rays reaching the skin.
Protecting Your Baby from Germs
Clean Pacifiers and Teething Rings: Wash daily with soap and water, and sterilize regularly, especially if dropped on the floor.
Avoid Spreading Germs: Don’t clean pacifiers with your mouth as this will spread bacteria that can cause cavities or tooth decay. For the same reason, use a separate spoon to taste your baby’s food, whenever possible.
Safety Hazards
Protect your baby’s growing smile by avoiding hazards:
- Keep your baby from chewing on items like remote controls, electrical cords, items with small pieces, sharp objects, and other items that may break in their mouths, shock, or burn.
- Always supervise meals to prevent choking.