Early Infant Care

Begin oral care early

Wipe the baby’s gums with a clean, wet gauze pad, washcloth or Xylitol wipes ( Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes or CariFree Xyli-Tots Oral wipes ) after each feeding. This removes food particles that can harm teeth. It also helps your child get used to having his or her mouth cleaned.
Begin gently brushing your baby’s teeth with water as soon as the first tooth appears. Use a soft-bristled, child-sized toothbrush. Until the age of 18 months, you should never use fluoride-containing toothpaste; but , instead utilize a tooth and gum cleanser that contains no fluoride. At age 18 months, you can brush your child’s teeth with a “rice-sized” smear of fluoride toothpaste once a day. From age 2 to 3, brush twice a day with a “rice-sized” smear of fluoride-containing toothpaste, and after age 3, begin brushing twice each day with a “pea-sized” drop of fluoride–containing toothpaste.
Until the age of 5, children should be watched closely while brushing and taught to spit out, not swallow the toothpaste.Though fluoride is important for the teeth, too much consumption can result in a condition called fluorosis.
Parents should take an active role in helping their child brush. Remember, until your child can tie their own shoes, they do not have the dexterity to thoroughly brush their teeth on their own.
Flossing begins at age 7.

To reduce the risk of tooth decay, children should be encouraged to drink from a cup by their first birthday.
Do not allow your baby to constantly sip on liquids containing sugar ( including milk, fruit juices, pop, or sports drinks). Frequent sips of sugary liquids cause tooth decay. Offer these liquids only during meals if necessary, and keep the cup out of reach while riding in a car or stroller. If your child is thirsty between meals, offer water in a cup.
Do not let your child to carry the training cup around.
Training cups should be used temporarily. Once a child has learned how to sip, the training cup has served it’s purpose. It should be set aside when no longer needed.

Infants and young children should have a healthy diet. Dr. Geshay believes this means fruit juices and sugary liquids should be strictly avoided. Always offer your child sugar-free liquids. Water is nature and is always the best choice.
Limit between-meal snacks
Avoid using sweet foods or drinks to reward your child.
If your child eats sweets, make sure it is during a meal. As Saliva increases during meals and helps rinse food particles from the mouth).

The first dental visit should be at age 1, or within 6 months of the eruption of the first baby tooth.