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Even before the teeth begin to come in, you should clean baby's mouth at least once a day with a clean gauze pad or soft cloth. This should become a regular habit. To clean the child's teeth and gums:
Sit on a sofa or chair with your child's head in your lap (Picture 2). Or if someone is helping you, place the child's head in your lap with his feet toward your helper. It is important your child is comfortable and you can see easily into his mouth.
Place a clean gauze pad or soft cloth over your finger. Dip the gauze in water so that it's damp, but not soaking wet. Wipe your child's teeth and gums gently.
When your child's teeth start coming in, begin to use a small, soft toothbrush to brush his teeth. Be sure to brush all surfaces of the teeth, including the gums.
It is not necessary to use toothpaste, but if you do, use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a small pea).
Children should be able to brush their teeth totally unsupervised by age 11. Until then, parents should watch or help, based on their child’s abilities.
Things You Can Do to Prevent Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in the plaque that forms on teeth. When your child eats food or takes medicine that has sugar in it, the bacteria produce acids. These acids destroy the teeth. To prevent tooth decay:
Clean the baby's teeth with gauze or a soft cloth after each feeding. When the child is older, you may use a toothbrush.
A young child is not able to brush every tooth surface in his mouth and does not know how important it is to brush the teeth well. This is why an adult should brush or clean the child's teeth at least once a day until the child is about 7 or 8 years of age.
Don't give the child large amounts of sugary foods or liquids such as juice and soda pop. Offer sweets only as dessert.
When you start using toothpaste to clean the child's teeth, be sure it contains fluoride (but use only a small amount - the size of a small pea).
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