1. Keep Teeth Clean

Even before your baby’s first tooth comes in, wipe his or her gums with a wet cloth after each feeding to remove excess food and bacteria. After teeth erupt, use a soft-bristled brush and warm water to clean the teeth. By age 3 children should be brushing their own teeth with adult supervision. Make sure they use just a pea sized dot of toothpaste. Start flossing your child’s teeth daily when all the primary teeth are in or when teeth are touching each other. Make brushing and flossing a daily routine, but keep it enjoyable. Try brushing with your child or letting him or her use a colorful toothbrush.

2. Avoid Baby-Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby-bottle tooth decay can occur when an infant is given a bottle with milk, formula, or fruit juice at bedtime, naptime, or for long periods during the day. Extended exposure to the sugar in these liquids can cause teeth to discolor and decay. Since breast milk contains sugar, decay also can occur when a baby falls asleep while breastfeeding. To prevent damage, clean your child’s teeth after each feeding, and if necessary, give him/her a bottle filled only with water at bedtime or naptime.

3. Start Dental Visits Early

On the first visit the dentist will:

A. Check the child’s teeth for decay and signs of early developmental problems
B. Answer questions and explain how to care for the child’s teeth.

Most children should see a dentist every six months. Encourage a positive attitude toward visits by following these tips:

A. Play dentist to familiarize your youngster with what will happen.
B. Take your children with you when you go in for a checkup so that they can get used to the environment and meet the staff.
C. Avoid negative words like shot or hurt.
D. Answer questions honestly but not too specifically.

Dental professionals have special ways of explaining things to children.

4. Encourage Healthful Eating

A balanced diet is important for healthy teeth and gums. Children especially need calcium, which helps build strong teeth; some good sources are milk, cheese, and yogurt. (Research also shows that eating cheese after meals seems to inhibit the effects of decay-causing acids.) Discourage sugary or starchy snacks.

5. Ask about sealants

When a child’s first permanent molars erupt, usually at age 6, consider protecting them with dental sealants. A sealant is a thin plastic coating applied by your dentist to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. By filling in the teeth’s grooves, sealants create a barrier against food and bacteria that cause decay.

6. What about when my child loses baby teeth?

Usually, children lose primary (baby) teeth naturally as the permanent teeth under them get ready to take their place. But sometimes a primary tooth is lost too early from an accident. Since primary teeth reserve space for incoming permanent teeth, losing one too early can cause other teeth to shift towards the empty space. Then there may not be enough room for permanent teeth to come in. the result can be malocclusion that requires time-consuming orthodontic treatment. 

Space maintainers: Your dentist may recommend a space maintainer for your child. Made of metal or plastic, these devices hold the space for permanent teeth until they’re ready to erupt.