Best Way to Brush Your Baby’s Teeth

CLINICAL CONTENT WRITTEN & REVIEWED BY CLOVE CLINICAL TEAM

Last Modified: July 1, 2022

FACT CHECKED

Being a parent is bliss. The efforts and the sleepless night vanish when you see your baby smile. A parent will do all sorts of things to see their baby smiling, healthy and happy. But how many of us take care of that smile? How many of us know how to take care of that smile and when to start brushing baby teeth? Baby teeth might be small, but they play a major role in baby development. After watching the baby fuss and drool, the parent can finally spot the first baby teeth 6 months after birth. Then, they continue to pop out one after the other until the full set of baby teeth appear in the mouth. Until the child’s 3rd birthday, the baby’s gummy smile is replaced by two rows of baby teeth. They act as a procurator for the adult teeth or the permanent teeth. If the baby does not develop a healthy set of baby teeth, the child may face problems eating, smiling, or even speaking. This should not happen. That’s why baby teeth cleaning and keeping them healthy is very important for the child’s growth and development. Let us discuss this in detail.

Caring for baby’s gums

The first and foremost question that pops into every new parent’s mind is when to start brushing and what is the best way to brush the baby teeth? The care of the teeth starts as soon as the first baby tooth pops into the baby’s mouth. Before that, a healthy acre of the gums should be done. This especially does not involve the use of toothpaste and toothbrush. Instead of these take a soft, moistened washcloth or a piece of gauze. Dampen this washcloth and gently wipe down your baby’s gums at least twice a day, this can be after feeding and before bedtime. This helps the baby gums be bacteria-free and stops them from clinging onto the gums. This all prevents plaque accumulation and saves the upcoming infant teeth from any damage.

Brushing your baby’s teeth

They say that by starting early, the baby gets used to the daily routine. Kids’ teeth cleaning should be started when the first baby tooth appears. For this, the first step is to choose a proper toothbrush. It can be a soft brush, small-headed, and a large handle. Initially, you can just wet the toothbrush by soaking it in warm water for a few minutes before brushing. This softens the brush bristles even more. Gradually and slowly, as more teeth appear in the oral cavity, you can start using toothpaste, but note that the amount of a toothbrush should be equal to the amount of a rice grain.

This can be turned to a size of a pea when the child reaches its 3rd birthday. Many children’s toothpaste is developed with child-pleasing tastes. This helps the parent to encourage the child further to brush. Choose the paste with a doctor’s recommendation, which is IDA certified for safety and effectiveness. Read the instruction manual carefully and thoroughly. Some toothpaste is not recommended for children below a certain age group.

Brush at least twice a day, in the morning and just before bed. Make them spend at least 2 minutes brushing, and concentrate more on the molar region as this area is more prone to caries development. Make sure to replace the toothbrush every 3 months. You should brush your baby’s teeth until they are old enough to hold their brush.

Make them floss once two adjacent teeth have popped in the child’s oral cavity. Certain foods should be avoided, like certain fruit juices, sodas, or sugary drinks. All of these lead to irreversible damage to the baby tooth if given in excess and damage the underlying permanent tooth. Sometimes sweet drinks, even milk, settle onto the tooth surface, leading to a common dental issue known as baby bottle tooth decay. This should be prevented by avoiding giving sugary drinks or milk at nap time or nighttime in particular.

The seed of your baby’s healthy teeth can be planted long before your child is old enough to spit out the toothpaste. You need not wait for the permanent teeth to start brushing. Gradually and slowly incorporate the importance of brushing. It may take some while and a lot of patience, do not give up. All these will ensure a sparkling life and smile later in a child’s life. This is your duty to give your child the best gift of a pain-free and healthy childhood.