From baby bottle decay to flossing techniques, prevention strategies and regular visits – rely on Hall Dental centre to walk you through the ABCs of Dental Care for your baby.
Preventing Cavities From the Get-Go
"Caries control" is a dental term that means controlling the development of dental decay, or cavities. Controlling decay in babies and children is crucial to their current and future dental health and is often our focus for our younger patients.
Caries control practices should start as soon as your baby's first tooth erupts. This usually happens around the one-year mark, and at this time, your baby should have a first visit to the dentist.
This may seem rather early, but a dental appointment that this time will give the dentist an opportunity to examine your baby for any developing oral health issues that may need to be monitored or nipped in the bud.
It will also give you the opportunity to ask us questions about caring for your baby's oral health at home, on a daily basis. The dentist and hygienist will be glad to provide you with all the advice and resources you need to keep your baby's smile healthy from the start.
Once Teeth Appear
The moment your child's first teeth appear, they are susceptible to tooth decay. One of the most effective ways to prevent tooth decay in babies is to clean teeth regularly. This helps remove bacteria and prevents sugar from remaining trapped in the tooth and gum area. If your baby has no teeth, use a clean, damp cloth to wipe their gums after feeding.
Brushing
Using an ultra-soft toothbrush, use a small amount of child-friendly toothpaste and brush the teeth and gums gently. You can switch to fluoridated toothpaste once your child can spit out all of the toothpaste after brushing.
Flossing
Begin flossing children's teeth when all of their baby teeth have erupted. Ask our staff about our special flossers for kids.
Baby Bottle Decay
If your baby is used to sleeping with a bottle, try water instead or milk or juice after their regular feeding. Milk and juice both contain sugars, and long-term exposure to these sugars (for instance, overnight) allows the bacteria that cause acid plaque to thrive, and can result in what we call Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. Giving your baby water at bedtime if he sleeps with a bottle will help reduce the exposure to decay producing acids.