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Dental hygiene isn't just for people with teeth.
You can start your child on his way to a great smile for a lifetime by cleaning his mouth when he's an infant.
Begin by gently wiping his gums with a clean, wet washcloth or gauze after he has a feeding. Infants are very focused on their mouths, so he should enjoy this touching. As he starts to sprout teeth, the feeling of the wet washcloth on his itchy, irritated gums will be very soothing. Wiping his gums will help eliminate decay-causing bacteria and will help him get used to having his teeth brushed later on.
Once he has a tooth, between 6 and 12 months, you can introduce an infant toothbrush. Make sure it has soft, rounded bristles so it won't scratch his gums. Brushing with just water is fine, but if your dentist recommends toothpaste, use a very small amount, about the size of a pea. Babies usually enjoy the flavor of toothpaste and often swallow it, and ingestion of fluoride can cause problems over time.
Brush his teeth after every feeding, and again at bedtime. By now he should enjoy the feeling of having his gums massaged and his teeth cleaned!
Keeping your baby's teeth clean is more important than you may realize. Baby teeth have thinner enamel than adult teeth and are more vulnerable to the bacteria that cause decay. Decay in a baby's tooth is swift and destructive; it quickly penetrates the enamel, then the dentin, and then infects the nerve.
Baby teeth eventually fall out, so why should it matter if they are lost early? Most dentists believe that baby teeth should remain in the mouth as long as possible, to serve as placeholders for the adult tooth that will follow. When baby teeth are lost early, the surrounding teeth often tilt and move toward the empty space. This can cause the permanent teeth to come in crooked.
Your child's first trip to the dentist
Just as it's important to start early with good hygiene habits, it's also important to get your child to a dentist for checkups at an early age, preferably by his first birthday, but not later than his second. At this age, children may have problems resulting from thumb-sucking, teething, or baby bottle decay syndrome.
It's a good idea if your child knows what to expect before going to the dentist for the first time. A picture book is a good way to introduce the experience. An excellent one to read to your child is Going to the Dentist by Fred Rogers.
Another good way to familiarize your child with the dentist's office is to let him join either you or one of his siblings on a dental visit or two. That way, once it's his turn to be examined, the procedure will be predictable. And for young children, predictability means comfort!
The first visit should primarily be a fun "getting-to-know-you" session with the dentist. She should be calm, friendly and upbeat with your child, and should thoroughly examine his mouth, gums and teeth. She or her hygienist may also gently clean your child's teeth, and, in a child-friendly way, demonstrate the proper way to brush.
Be sure to bring your child's health records to this first visit. And be prepared to sit in the exam chair with your child on your lap, so he feels at ease. Dental visits should be a positive experience from the very beginning!
Source: The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry