Teething and Baby Teeth Care

Highlights

	Congratulations – I have my first tooth!!
	Help your baby when teething start
	When should I take my baby to the dentist?
	Take care of your baby's teeth in order to prevent cavities, it is easy!
	Feed Your Baby Healthy Food
	My baby bites! What should I do?
	Tips

Congratulations – I have my first tooth!!

Usually, babies begin to teethe when they are 4 to 7 months old. However, some babies begin to teethe as early as 3 months while others as late as 12 months.

Once your baby's tooth appears , you should clean it as well as the gums by wiping with a piece of gauze.

When more teeth appear you should brush them gently with a soft baby toothbrush, and a small dab of toothpaste that does not contain fluoride.

Brush the teeth and the tongue in the morning, and in the evening before bed time.

Change your child's toothbrush 3-4 times a year.

Let your child to choose a toothbrush.

Brush your child teeth until he/she can do it alone. Usually a child under 6 years of age doesn't know how to brush so help your child and check the teeth after each brushing.

Help your baby when teething start

Teething can make your baby uncomfortable and even irritable. Your baby may drool, bite and chew some objects and rub his/her gums.

Give your baby a cold teething ring .

Rub your baby's gum with a clean finger or use gauze or a wet washcloth.

Try a baby teething gel which cools the gums and provides temporary relief.

Try distracting your baby from the pain by playing with him/her or taking for a walk.

Ask your doctor if you can give your baby pain relievers.

When should I take my baby to the dentist?

It is recommended to start visit the dentist on your baby's first birthday. Usually the first visit is for examination which creates a positive experience for the child.

Take care of your baby's teeth in order to prevent cavities, it is easy!

Here are 5 rules of thumb for keeping your baby's health teeth:

Never put your baby to bed with a bottle that contains formula, milk, juice or every fluid that isn't water.

Don't give your baby a bottle with sweet fluids for calming during the day. Water is the best fluid between meals and the only one that should stay in your baby's mouth for long time.

Don't dip your baby's pacifier with honey or sugar.

Don't add sugar or honey to your baby's food.

Germs pass from mouth to mouth thus don't clean your baby's pacifier in your mouth or use his/her spoon to taste the food.

Feed Your Baby Healthy Food

Give your child fruits and vegetables instead of candies and cookies.

Buy foods that do not contain a lot of sugar in them.

Serve foods that contain sugar only as a part of dinner.

Tips

Remember, you are your child's best role model. Brushing your teeth in front of him/her delivers an important message that cleaning the teeth every day is essential for healthy teeth.

Sing a song about teething while brushing your child's teeth.

Brush your child's teeth for at least sixty seconds. Getting a timer for kids makes it easier to keep track of time and to ensure proper brushing. They will get a better sense of time. I recommend a simple baking timer that rings or flashes at the end of a minute. It may stimulate the child to keep brushing while following a timer.

Starting brush your child's teeth early is a primary investment that will yield a huge benefit for life.

My baby bites! What should I do?

		Is your baby teething? When teething, the baby bites to soothe his irritated gums. In this case provide alternatives. After the baby bites, try to give him/her cold teething ring or teething toy, this will send a message that some things are OK to chew on while others most definitely are not.
		If teething isn’t the cause and the baby bites you or someone else, say "Don't bite!" firmly. Make sure that no one laughs when your baby bites and that no one, including older siblings, treat biting as a game. Your child should soon realize that biting is not OK.

Return from Teething and Baby Teeth Care to Baby teeth

---

---