Baby Gums

Clean her gums softly after any feed with a wet soft cloth or gauze. Even though there are no teeth, this will help her keep her gums clean and lower the chances of attracting decay-causing bacteria later in life.

First Tooth!

By the age of 6-12 months, your baby will start teething. Even if it happens a little earlier than expected, don't worry. When you see a tooth, get her an infant toothbrush with soft and round bristles so it does not hurt her gums.

You can use water instead of toothpaste, but in case the doctor has asked you to use toothpaste, only put a pea-size amount on the brush.

Brush her teeth at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at bedtime. Better still, brush after every meal she eats. Brushing often will make the baby used to her teeth getting cleaned which will also help her in maintaining her dental hygiene routine later on.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

If you are in a habit of giving your baby a bottle of milk at bedtime, then you should change this habit as it causes baby bottle tooth decay. You give your baby milk at bed time , thinking she will go off to sleep peacefully, but her new teeth are being exposed to external substances such as sugar in milk, which are harmful for the tooth enamel.

Baby bottle tooth decay can be prevented by not letting your baby sleep with a bottle of milk or juice for a night or even a nap. If she is in the habit of sleeping with the bottle, then fill it plain water and remove the bottle once she is asleep.

From There On...

By the age of 18 months you should be able to wean off the habit of feeding with a bottle. As she grows up, she will start eating different types of food, including chocolates and other sweetened items which are not good for the teeth. To keep her teeth clean and healthy, rinse her mouth every time she eats anything.

As she gets used to brushing her teeth, let her brush her own teeth under your supervision and make sure that only you apply the toothpaste. Till she is seven or eight years old, you will need to help her brush her teeth. If you want, you could start brushing her teeth and then let her finish it on her own.

And most importantly, take her for regular dental check-ups. You can take her to a dentist as soon as her first tooth appears. Not only will it help in forming a healthy set of teeth but it will also take away the fear of the dentist's chair right from childhood.

Your child's primary teeth maintain the space for the upcoming permanent teeth and severely decayed primary teeth might cause a problem with permanent teeth later on. Therefore, all you need to do is take a little care so that she grows up with the most beautiful smile!

(With Inputs from: Dr. Mukul Dabholkar, Cosmetic Dentist and Dr. Perola Menon, private Dental Surgeon, Mumbai)