Parent Guide to Infant Cavities From a Pediatric Dentist

As soon as your child gets a tooth, it is good to take the child to see a pediatric dentist. Even one tooth is at risk of getting a cavity. The good news is that there are ways of preventing cavities in babies. Read on to learn more.

Caring for babies’ teeth

Even before a baby’s first tooth comes through, a parent should be providing oral care. A baby’s teeth start to form in the mother’s first trimester. When the baby is born, they already have 20 primary teeth buds. Some of these teeth are fully formed but have not yet broken through.

Before the baby’s teeth come through, parents should gently move a damp washcloth over the baby’s gums and tongue. This can remove bacteria from the mouth. This should be done after every feeding, if possible. When the teeth come in, parents should brush the teeth using a toothbrush for infants. Parents can use fluoride toothpaste, but only a piece the size of a grain of rice. This can prevent the baby from swallowing any toothpaste.

As soon as a baby has two touching teeth, parents should floss them. Once a baby is two, the child should spit after brushing the teeth. However, children should not yet have water to swish in the mouth until they learn how to spit to prevent swallowing of the tooth paste

Infants and cavities

Babies are very susceptible to tooth decay. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, tooth decay is one of the most common childhood conditions. When a baby goes to sleep with a bottle, the teeth can quickly decay. Formula, milk and juice all contain sugars that can stay on the teeth. This can cause the enamel to decay.

This condition is known as severe early childhood caries formerly known as baby bottle decay. The front teeth can become pocked, discolored or pitted. A baby is more susceptible to cavities when this has happened. Sometimes, these teeth will need to be extracted. A simple solution is for parents to brush the baby’s teeth after meals waiting 30 minutes before brushing. Babies should not have beverages after the teeth have been brushed for the night. American academy of pediatric and the American academy of pediatric dentistry strongly recommends bottle feeding should stop by 12 months.

Visit a pediatric dentist today

A child’s first visit to the pediatric dentist should happen around six months of age. This is when the teeth begin to erupt. A pediatric dentist can check the teeth to see that they are healthy. You can also learn the right way to care for your child’s teeth by watching the pediatric dentist clean the baby’s teeth and asking questions.

Request an appointment here: http://www.pediatricdentistsuffolk.com or call Fun Park Pediatric Dentistry at (757) 767-2767 for an appointment in our Suffolk office.