If your little one has started being a bit grumpy, isn’t sleeping very well, has a temperature or is drooling a lot, then they might be teething. Your baby will most likely get their first teeth between 4 and 7 months old, when you might see their milk teeth pushing through.

You can start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as you see teeth coming through, but don’t worry too much about how much you can brush. The most important thing at this stage is getting your baby used to the sensation and seeing it as part of their daily routine, as well as visiting your dentist Solihull based to help them support you through these all important stages of your child’s life!

We’re here to help you with our guide to looking after your baby’s first teeth!

Visit The Dentist

One of the best things you can do to help look after your baby’s first teeth is take them to the dentist when they appear. This will not only help them to get used to the dentist, but it ensures that everything is growing healthily. Dental issues can impact all areas of our lives, from the way we eat and speak through to oral health issues like gum disease and tooth loss, so making a visit to the dentist a normal part of your routine will keep your baby’s oral health in the best possible condition. Plus, they’ll be able to provide you with personalised advice on how to look after your baby’s teeth, mouth and gums in those all important early years. So, visit your dentist Leamington Spa based as soon as you notice your baby’s teeth coming through!

Baby Tooth Brushing Tips

Using Toothpaste

When you start brushing your baby’s teeth, you should use just a very small amount of toothpaste for babies and toddlers up to 3 years of age. After this, and up to 6 years of age, this can be a pea-sized amount of toothpaste instead. It is recommended that you use a toothpaste that contains fluoride as soon as your baby’s first tooth begins cutting through.

Happy Brushing

Not all babies and children like having their teeth brushed, so this is why it is important to start as soon as you can so that they get used to doing so. The easiest way to brush your baby’s teeth is to sit them on your lap, with their head resting against your chest, and then, very gently, brush their teeth and gums in small circles with an infant toothbrush. Look to do this once a day before and after their first tooth starts to come through, before increasing to twice a day once they have a couple more teeth.

Sugar And Tooth Decay

We all know that sugar can cause tooth decay, but what many people don’t know is that it’s not about the consumption of sugar and how much you have in food and drinks, but how long your teeth are in contact with sugar.

Even babies can get tooth decay, largely because, up until they are around 1 year old, their diet is mostly made up of milk, which has naturally occurring sugars. Milk residue can then stay on the surface of your baby’s teeth for hours if you don’t brush regularly and this can then eat away at the enamel, leading to tooth decay.