One of the biggest misconceptions about baby teeth is that because they are going to fall out anyway they don’t require the same care as adult teeth. However, Dr. Renee reminds us that, “the way we care for our infant’s teeth and gums will have a critical role on the health and development of permanent or adult teeth.” Here are some tips for caring for your precious baby’s precious (baby and adult) teeth:
- Begin by cleaning baby’s gums before teeth are even showing. Do so by wiping gums off after each feeding with a warm, wet, clean washcloth. You can even buy a rubber device that fits over your finger, which is made to remove excess food from baby’s gums.
- Don’t ignore the baby teeth! The health of baby teeth directly affects the adult teeth that will replace them. If not cared for they can decay and even lead to gum infections and other oral problems, pain, and even early baby tooth loss that can cause a more difficult orthodontic intervention in the future.
- If you see any sign of discoloration, this could be a cavity. We advise parents to never put baby down with a bottle containing anything other than water.
- Follow meals by giving baby water to drink. This will help wash away sugar or foods that can stick to teeth.
- Brush baby’s teeth with a soft toothbrush. You can begin using a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste upon the arrival of the first tooth advancing to a pea sized amount once your child can spit effectively after brushing.
- Take baby to your pediatric dentist at age one. This should be the first visit of many regularly scheduled visits for the rest of his/her life.
We believe in providing “Special Care From the Beginning” through our a warm, comfortable, and child friendly environment and staff to help make coming to the dentist a satisfying, rewarding, and positive experience for families.
Please let us know if you have any questions concerning your little one as we are trained to help and we love being the dental home for so many young people in our community!
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. The pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults, including being an Invisalign preferred provider. The ability to treat all special needs patients reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy. Valued hospital affiliations allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John’s Hospital Macomb when needed. Our specialists are also on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
