Early Infant Oral Care
Caring For Babies’ Gums And Erupting Teeth
Early Infant Oral Care is essential for your child’s overall health and should start in infancy. Helping to grow healthy smiles is what we do best! Taking care of your children’s oral health plays a crucial role in their well-being. Our team at Pediatric Dentistry of Fredericksburg is here to help you feel confident about taking care of your baby’s smile. We educate parents on how to care for their baby’s gums and what to do as the first teeth begin to erupt.
Caring For Your Baby’s Gums: Essential Oral Care for Newborns
Babies require oral care even before their first tooth erupts. Once a day, place a clean, damp washcloth or gauze on your finger and gently rub it across your infant’s gums. This helps prevent the build-up of bacteria that can lead to tooth decay. It also creates a foundation for good oral hygiene habits in your child’s life.
When Will My Child’s Teeth Come In?
Primary teeth, also known as baby teeth, typically begin erupting from the gums from around 6-8 months of age. However, this varies from child to child, and some babies get them early or late. Usually, the lower front teeth, known as the lower anterior teeth, are the first to appear.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that your child first visits the dentist by the age of one, or within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth. Even though baby teeth are not permanent, they are vital to your child’s growth development. They will be used to chew and eat, and they will provide space for the permanent teeth to erupt. When your child’s primary teeth come in, oral care for newborns remains essential. Gently brush their teeth with a child’s toothbrush and a grain-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Teach your child to spit out the toothpaste and not swallow it.
Teething
Teething refers to the migration of your child’s teeth to the gum line that begins around 4-7 months of age. It can happen months before the first tooth erupts. Symptoms include:
As teething is often an uncomfortable period for your child, it is normal for your baby to attempt to chew on any and everything. Make sure that everything your child puts in their mouth is clean. To prevent rashes, you should also wipe the excess drool from their face.
Relief During Teething
Many babies are uncomfortable and fussy while they are teething. We recommend the following methods to help your child find relief:
As teething is often an uncomfortable period for your child, it is normal for your baby to attempt to chew on any and everything. Make sure that everything your child puts in their mouth is clean. To prevent rashes, you should also wipe the excess drool from their face.
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Cavities are areas of decay on the teeth. In babies, they often appear as dark or brown spots on the front teeth, but can occur on other teeth, as well. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, dental caries, or cavities, are the most prevalent childhood disease, and 41 percent of 2 to 11-year-olds have them in their primary teeth. Children with untreated tooth decay are more likely to visit the emergency room and miss school as they grow.
Infant mouth care in Fredericksburg is essential in preventing tooth decay in babies. Tooth decay can occur from prolonged exposure to sugary liquids like milk, breast milk, formula, and fruit juice. Because of this, early childhood cavities are often called baby bottle tooth decay. Some ways to reduce tooth decay from baby bottle exposure include:
Breastfeeding & Nursing
At Pediatric Dentistry of Fredericksburg, we emphasize the importance of the mother-child dyad and how babies’ dental health can contribute to this dynamic. One way in which a child’s oral development can impact breastfeeding and latching is tongue-ties and lip-ties. A tongue-tie occurs when the strip of skin (lingual frenulum) connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth is shorter or tighter than usual, restricting movement. Similarly, a lip-tie occurs when the strip of tissue (labial frenulum) that connects the upper lip to the upper gum is short, tight or thick. This can prevent babies from properly latching during breastfeeding or nursing, limiting the amount that they can eat and causing pain to the mother.
If you suspect that your baby has difficulty latching, our team at Pediatric Dentistry of Fredericksburg is here to help. We specialize in oral care for newborns in Fredericksburg and can evaluate your baby’s latch. If we determine that your child has a tongue-tie or lip-tie, we may recommend a frenectomy procedure to release this tight tissue and facilitate feeding. To learn more about breastfeeding/nursing evaluations, please call our office at 540-371-3222.
