Cleaning Your Baby’s Gums from Day One

Infant oral care starts at birth. Although most babies will be toothless until around six months, it is important to clean their gums daily and after feedings to wipe away any germs or bacteria.

To care for your baby’s gums, use a clean/sterile washcloth or gauze with a little water. Once a day, wet a washcloth or gauze with water, wrap it around your index finger, and gently wipe across the outside and inside of both the upper and lower gums. Once solid foods are introduced, be sure to clean the gums after every meal.

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Teething

Your baby may start teething any time within the first year. Teething may make your child irritable or fussy. Some common symptoms include drooling, increased chewing, sore gums, restlessness, or loss of appetite.

You may try soothing your baby’s gums by rubbing them gently with a clean finger, using a moist gauze, or letting them chew on a cold teething ring. If your baby appears sick or has a fever, call your baby’s doctor.

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Brushing your Baby’s First Teeth

Most often, a baby will have their two front bottom teeth come in at around 6-10 months old. Baby teeth are essential to the health of their permanent teeth. Once these first teeth come in, you can brush them with a grain-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste. Be sure to brush all surfaces of the tooth to prevent tooth decay.

It is important to start cleaning between teeth 1 time per day, as soon as 2 teeth come in next to each other.

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Pacifiers

Sucking is a normal part of growth that is comforting to children well into their first years of life. If you choose to have your infant suck on a pacifier, take the following safety precautions:

  • Keep the pacifier clean.
  • Never dip the pacifier in honey or anything sweet before giving it to a baby.
  • Never attach a pacifier to your baby’s crib or body with a string, ribbon, or cord.
  • A pacifier’s shield should be wider than the child’s mouth. Discontinue use if the child can fit the entire pacifier in his mouth.
  • Inspect pacifiers frequently for signs of wear; discard if the bulb has become sticky, swollen, or cracked.

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Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is Preventable

The sugar in milk can cause severe tooth decay when it sits on a baby’s teeth for extended periods of time. This condition is so common that dental professionals have begun to call it “bottle rot decay.” Bottle rot decay involves severe cavities in a child’s upper front 4-6 teeth that can develop as early as age one, leading to the need for extensive dental treatment.

To avoid this condition, do not let your child sleep with a bottle of milk in their mouth. Instead, try switching the milk for safe tap water just before bed or as soon as your baby falls asleep, and remove the bottle from their mouth. If your infant uses a pacifier, avoid dipping it in sweetened foods such as honey or syrup. This is not safe and can promote tooth decay!

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Watch for Signs of Cavities

Babies cannot communicate dental pain with words. Caregivers must watch for nonverbal cues such as excessive drooling, unexplained crying, or pulling at the face and ears.  It is important to perform regular visual checks on your baby’s first teeth. Look for the following signs of cavities.

  • White and brown spots on your baby’s teeth are early signs of cavities.
  • Black spots and holes in your baby’s tooth are signs of moderate to severe tooth decay.

When signs of tooth decay are visible, it is wise to schedule a visit with your dental provider to prevent the infection from spreading.

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Cavities are Contagious

It is not a well-known fact, but cavities can be spread from person to person. Certain bacteria found in an adult’s mouth can lead to tooth decay (caries).  Preventing the transfer of these bacteria from the adult mouth to the infant’s mouth can decrease a child’s risk of tooth decay. 

It is important for moms and caregivers to avoid behaviors that directly pass bacteria to their infant. Do not share toothbrushes, utensils, or cups with your baby.  Do not clean a pacifier by using a parent’s or caregiver’s mouth.  Do not put anything in a child’s mouth if it has been in another person’s mouth.

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