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Early Childhood Dental Care
December 22nd, 2009
When to plan your first trip to the dentist and how to care for those tiny teeth.
by: Tarra Elliott
In This Article
Dental Care
- A wet toothbrush is sufficient for cleaning toddler teeth.
- Children need fluoride in their water supply to strengthen tooth enamel.
- Don't let your child fall asleep with a bottle or sippy cup. If your child wants to go to bed with a drink, fill a sippy cup with water.
- Plan your child's first dental trip at one year.
- Start to floss once teeth are touching.
M
ost babies get their first tooth around six months and their last primary molars before they turn three. Your child will keep these "baby" teeth until age 10 or 12 so it's important to care for them. Here's how to keep your child's smile bright and healthy:1. Start cleaning before the first tooth emerges.
Even before the appearance of baby's first tooth, his mouth should be wiped with a warm cloth each evening to get rid of excess liquid or food. It also gets your baby used to proper tooth care.
