Taking Care Of Your Infant's Dental Hygiene: 5 Tips

Your baby may not have any teeth just yet, but that doesn't mean you should neglect your baby's dental hygiene. Milk can leave residue on your  baby's gums, which if left can eventually cause your infant's teeth that haven't pushed through just yet to rot. Taking care of your baby's dental health is imperative and should be done properly in order to prevent damage to the teeth coming in. See below for dental care tips for your baby.

Begin Early

Again, your baby's teeth may not be in just yet but those teeth are just beneath the surface of the gum line. Milk can sit on the gums and rot those underlying teeth. Start early by either using an infant toothbrush or a cool, wet washcloth. Rub the gums for just a few seconds to clean and rinse them. A teething baby will like the washcloth, as the baby can chew on the washcloth, or you can massage your baby's sore gums. Work your way around the gums from the back to the front, top and bottom.

Work Quickly

Your baby may or may not like this new dental cleaning sensation, so work fast until your baby gets used to this. After a few days (or weeks) you can take it a little slower, but you need to allow your baby to get used to this first.

Make It Routine

Make the gum massage and cleaning part of your daily routine. Clean your baby's gums twice per day if you can and after you give your baby his night time bottle so he isn't sleeping with milk on his gums. Milk on his gums can lead to bottle rot, so never put your baby to bed at night with a bottle. Starting this type of routine early enough will lead to healthier habits throughout childhood and throughout his entire life.

Take Your Baby To The Dentist

Call your dentist to see how early you should have your baby seen for regular checkups. If your baby has started getting some teeth in, your dentist may want to see your baby and have his teeth and gums looked at to ensure they are healthy without any issues.

Take It Seriously

Take your baby's dental hygiene seriously and your baby will in turn grow into a child, adolescent and adult that cares for his teeth as well. The care you put into your baby's dental health will ensure his teeth are healthy when they actually break through the gums.

Take good care of your baby's dental hygiene and get your baby to the dentist for regular checkups. Visit a site like http://westlakesfamilydental.com/ for more help.