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Child Dental Care


About this topic


Your baby starts to form teeth under the gums while you are still pregnant. Baby teeth may start to show in the mouth at about 6 to 12 months of age. Baby teeth are important. They help your child speak clearly and chew food. They also make a path for adult teeth to follow. ‚  
Your baby should go to the dentist the first time between 6 and 12 months after they get their first tooth. This means most children should go to the dentist between 12 and 18 months of age. It is important to teach your child about taking care of their teeth while they are very young. This will make good habits as they get older. ‚  

General


Before your child has teeth: ‚  
  • Gently wipe the gums with a wet washcloth. This will help your child get used to you cleaning their mouth.

When your child starts to get teeth: ‚  
  • Brush and floss your childs teeth at least twice a day and especially before bed.
    • Use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste.
    • Brush for 2 minutes using a toothbrush with soft bristles.
    • Tilt the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle against the gumline.
    • Brush the gumline in a circular motion, massaging the gums gently and cleaning the tooth in the same motion.
    • Gently brush the outside and inside of each tooth using short back-and-forth strokes.
    • Gently brush the tongue to get rid of germs.
    • Sing a song or use a timer to make sure your child brushes for at least 2 minutes.
  • If your child is old enough to spit, use dental mouthwash after brushing your child's teeth.
  • Take your child to a dentist at least twice a year.
  • Get any treatments recommended by your dentist, like fluoride put on teeth, x-rays, tooth removal, fillings, and braces.
  • If your child plays sports, a soft plastic athletic mouthguard is recommended to prevent injuries to the teeth.

What will the results be?


Your child will have less cavities and better dental health. ‚  

What changes to diet are needed?


  • A well balanced diet is important to keep your childs teeth healthy.
  • Avoid giving your child foods or drinks that have a lot of sugar or acid. If your child eats a sugary or acidic treat, have your child rinse the mouth out with water.
  • Avoid sticky foods.
  • Give your child foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Offer water with fluoride in it.
  • Avoid putting your child to sleep with milk or juice. The sugar from these drinks can cause cavities on the baby teeth when not cleaned off during the night .

Helpful tips


  • If your child has an injury to the mouth or face, call or visit the dentist as soon a possible.
  • If a tooth gets knocked out, take your child to a dentist right away with the tooth.
  • Check with the dentist to see how often you should get a new toothbrush for your child.

Where can I learn more?


American Dental Association ‚  
http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/b/baby-teeth.aspx ‚  
FamilyDoctor.org ‚  
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/kids/eating-nutrition/teeth-teething/dental-hygiene-how-to-care-for-your-childs-teeth.html ‚  
KidsHealth ‚  
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/teeth/healthy.html# ‚  
NHS Choices ‚  
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Dental-care-for-babies-and-children/Pages/Prevention.aspx ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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