For a lifetime of healthy smiles, make sure you start taking care of your baby’s teeth. The proper oral health care should start before the baby’s first tooth even comes in. When you put your baby to sleep whether you’re doing it for a nap or bedtime, never fill the bottle or a Sippy cup with milk, juice, or formula. The best beverage is just water. Reasons being you can cause cavities in your little one’s teeth, also known as “baby bottle tooth decay.”

Before your baby even grows their first tooth you should still take care of their gums. Gently wipe their gums with a clean, wet, soft wash cloth twice a day. This will eliminate any plaque or left over food, which can help prevent baby bottle tooth decay.

Once your baby’s first tooth arrives, clean it and the rest of the mouth using a soft flexible children’s toothbrush and water. Using a small amount of non fluoride toothpaste, gently brush your child’s teeth. Once your child has reached the age of two you can switch to a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste. As long as you are sure they’re able to spit out the paste.

You can visit Dr. Gibbs whenever your child either has a first tooth or first birthday! Either or, it’s definitely that time to make that appointment. Dr. Gibbs can help address any concerns such as thumb- sucking or how to correctly brush your child’s teeth. For the sake of your child’s oral health regular exams are necessary. Keep up with normal appointments with Dr. Gibbs!