Even though baby teeth are temporary, it’s still very important to begin building a basis for good oral hygiene when your children are babies. You can start caring for your baby’s mouth before a tooth even comes through. This can be done by wiping the gums after feedings with a warm, damp cloth wrapped around your finger. This is in order to rub off excess food and bacteria from the gums.

Tooth Care for Babies

Once teeth start appearing in your child’s mouth, it’s important to begin caring for them right away. The baby teeth preserve spacing for the permanent ones to fill in later. If they aren’t brushed and kept clean, it can lead to decay, which can cause an infection in the gums called gingivitis. Damage done to baby teeth and gums can affect the spacing of permanent teeth later.

Make sure you’re following your child’s meals with water. Most baby food will rinse off of teeth with just a drink of water. However, it is important to begin using a toothbrush as early as possible in order to acclimate your child to it. This will be beneficial to you as well, as children used to having a toothbrush in their mouth won’t fight brushing later on.

To schedule your appointment for a dental cleaning and dental exam, please contact Severance Dental here in Severance, Colorado.