How To Care For Baby Teeth

Your baby may hardly have started growing her first tooth by the time she is 5 or 6 months old, but this is the prime age to start thinking about appropriate dental care as those baby teeth do come in.

Even before your baby’s teeth start growing, you can run a damp washcloth over the baby’s gums once a day to clear away harmful bacteria. As the teeth come in, you can brush them with an infant toothbrush and non-fluoridated toothpaste.

You may be surprised to learn that babies can develop tooth decay if you are not practicing good feeding habits. Putting a baby to sleep with a bottle can harm the baby’s teeth because the sugars from the milk or juice remain on the baby’s teeth for hours, eating away at enamel and causing a condition known as bottle mouth, Nemours reports. This results in pocked, pitted or discolored front teeth.

It is best not to let your baby fall asleep with a bottle in her mouth, and set aside specific times for drinking throughout the day, since it can also be detrimental to dental growth if your child is constantly sucking on a bottle.

To get the dental care you deserve from an affordable dentist in Owings Mills, call Valley Dental Associates today at (443) 898-1240 or make an appointment.