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10 Important Questions You Should Ask Your Baby’s Dentist

10 Important Questions You Should Ask Your Baby’s Dentist

Generally, as parents you must be having several questions when it comes to your baby’s oral hygiene requirements. Here is a compilation of frequently asked questions about your baby’s dental health:

  1. When will my baby get his/her first tooth?
    Teething process varies among individual babies. Some babies acquire their teeth early while others have them later on. During teething, you may notice your child drooling more often or may seek to chew on things. Usually, the two bottom front teeth of your baby are first to come in, and they mostly start erupting around the age of 6-8 months.

  2. Do I need to start brushing baby teeth right away?
    You can begin cleaning your baby’s teeth as soon as the first tooth erupts. This should be done twice daily. A wet washcloth or gauze can be used to clean your baby’s teeth and gums, till the age of 1 year.

  3. What toothpaste is safe for my baby?
    For your baby between 2 months to 18 months of age, you can use a gentle baby toothbrush and put a very small quantity of fluoride-less toothpaste over it, for the brushing the baby’s teeth. You should use fluoride based tooth paste only upon your dentist’s advice because toothpaste is harmful to your baby if swallowed.

  4. Do I really need to switch spoons when testing my baby’s food with my mouth?
    To prevent spreading your germs to your baby, always use a separate clean spoon to taste or check temperature of the baby’s food and also avoid blowing on the food to cool it.

  5. How do my baby’s bottle feeding habits affect his teeth development?
    If your baby is on bottle feed, position your baby properly while feeding. Never leave a baby bottle, unattended in the crib, and also do not allow for your baby to fall asleep with a bottle. You should always be alert and follow these essential habits because the milk can cause tooth decay by accumulating in your baby’s mouth.

  6. What Dental Problems Could A Baby Have?
    Dental problems can start early in your baby. Early childhood cavities (or baby bottle tooth decay or nursing caries) are a big issue even for your baby’s tooth. Erupted teeth have the risk of decay once your child’s diet constitutes anything apart from breast milk.

  7. How do I make my baby’s diet safe for his/her teeth?
    You must ensure to provide a balanced diet to your baby, including fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, milk and dairy products, and meat fish and eggs. Reduce the quantities of sugars and starches to aid in protecting your child’s teeth from decay. You can also seek the advice from your pediatric dentist to help you in opting for the right food to protect your baby’s teeth.

  8. When should my baby start going to the dentist?
    In order to avoid dental problems, your baby should visit a pediatric dentist on the first tooth eruption, usually between six and twelve months of age or just after his/her first birthday. Your baby’s first dental checkup is a good time to talk about matters like regular dental care, fluoride, and eating habits.

  9. How do I prepare my baby for a first dental visit?
    You can try to make your baby’s first dental visit fun and positive. You should abstain from using words that might lead your baby to panic, such as needle, pull, drill or hurt. Pediatric dental offices maintain the practice of using pleasant and non-frightening words that will impart similar message to your baby in a harmless way.

  10. Does my baby need a mouth guard?
    To protect your baby’s teeth, lips, cheeks and gums from sport related injuries, soft plastic mouth-guards can be helpful. A mouth-guard designed by a pediatric dentist will give your baby good protection from injuries to the teeth, face and even from severe head injuries.

On August 10, 2017   /   Pediatric Dentistry  
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