How to care for Babies Teeth and Gums

When my children were babies , the question I used to always get asked is “How many teeth does your baby have?”

We long as mother’s for the first few teeth to appear, yet we watch in pain with what seems like suffering when they first appear.

The red face, sleepless nights, constant drooling, irritability and explosive nappies were just a few of the symptoms my babies experienced.

I am sure you can relate right?

Baby teeth help your child to learn to chew, and speak properly. The most important job for teeth is to maintain teeth space in your child’s gums for their adult teeth.

In saying this, the rate of childhood decay is rapidly increasing. Babies and Toddlers are just as much of a risk for dental decay, as an older child or adult, so caring for your baby’s teeth needs to begin at birth.

By starting good oral hygiene habits early, your child will be well equipped to have healthy teeth for life.

So what should we do to prepare our babies for healthy teeth and gums?

Here are a few guidelines which may help you on the path to great dental hygiene with your family.

Brushing:

Even before your baby’s teeth appear, you should gently wipe their gums with a moistened soft cloth once a day.
Once teeth start to appear, use a toothbrush specially designed for babies, with a small head and soft, rounded bristles to gently massage their teeth and gums.
Up to 18 months of age, babies teeth should only be brushed with water, once a day after the evening feed.
Once your toddler has become used to brushing and during their third year, start brushing twice a day, after breakfast and just before bed.

Tips to Avoid Dental Decay:

Use a Low Flouride toothpaste from 18 months up. Use sparingly and have child spit out excess
If your baby has teeth, its best to avoid settling them to sleep overnight with a breastfeed or bottle of milk, flavoured milk, cordial, soft drink or fruit juice. Bacteria feed on the sugar in these drinks and form plaque acids on teeth, which in turn eat into the tooth surface and cause decay.
If your baby needs to suck on something to settle for sleep offer a dummy.
If your baby has a breastfeed before bed, wipe down teeth with a moistened cloth before sleep

Do you have any tips to add to this list?

Main image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

38 Comments

- - tessie said
  - 11 Oct 2016
    3:03 am
My boys always went to bed with a bottle. They have no issues with their teeth

- - mom81879 said
  - 22 Nov 2015
    8:19 pm
My kids went to bed with a bottle of milk, after they were too old for the breast. They have fine teeth, not many dental visits for fillings and pullings for them

- - mom117219 said
  - 01 Feb 2015
    1:41 pm
good article, i am facing the problem with my child. check up with dentist now and then and she is having difficult time.

- - mom64736 said
  - 28 Jan 2015
    2:35 pm
I think it is as much about getting yourself into a routine to brush their teeth, even their gums, than anything else. That way you can pass it on to them!

- - GeoEllie said
  - 25 Jan 2015
    8:48 pm
Very important topic for us. Thanks.

- - Newmum21 said
  - 25 Jan 2015
    12:47 am
Wow!! Some great advice that I will be taking on board before my daughter goes to sleep from now on. I find though if she’s teething really bad after her last feed I give her a dummy but I also put a little bit of Bonjela on it so it rubs onto her teeth and gums while she’s sleeping and that also seems to settle really well.

- - mom93821 said
  - 18 Jan 2015
    3:11 pm
Thanks again for sharing this article; have shared with friends.

- - youngoldlady said
  - 08 Jan 2015
    7:10 pm
Never knew all this, will pass this infor onto my daughter in law. Will also have to change the way my youngest ones have their teeth done.

- - keeleynme said
  - 02 Jan 2015
    8:27 pm
Some good advice, but please note children are different. My kids all have great teeth, except my son who got holes, they all brush the same, dentist said some kids simply carry more bacteria in their mouth.

- - mom111751 said
  - 30 Dec 2014
    10:49 am
Avoiding juice during the day helps with this too. Not many people realise that juice has almost as much sugar as soft drink. Yes, it may be fructose which is natural. Sucrose is natural too. Fructose in fruit is packaged in fibre and other nutritious things. Fructose in juice is just sugar.

- - mom103827 said
  - 18 Dec 2014
    12:43 am
Wow!!! Honestly & seriously how many mums after breast feeding their little angel & putting them to sleep wan to consider waking them & wiping their teeth with a damp cloth to possibly wake them up & then have them back on the breast to sleep!

- - stepmom107932 said
  - 13 Dec 2014
    7:19 pm
wow i dont think i new any of this. what about those rubber toothbrushes with have no bristles and are meant to massage gums???

- - mom72215 said
  - 03 Dec 2014
    1:11 am
Interesting article. I’m awaiting arrival of my first baby and was only asking my dentist last week about when a child’s first routine dental check should be. I’ll definitely take these suggestions on board.

- - AllyD said
  - 01 Dec 2014
    1:06 pm
I always had my little guy brushing his teeth from the moment he could hold things, letting him chew on it when he needed to do things his way, then brushing when I could. We do it every night as part of our bedtime routine and at 22 months I am about ready to start him on toothpaste.

- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 30 Nov 2014
    10:15 pm
Great article, as I often see questions posted in the Answers section of the site relating to this issue. Thank you

- - cloverstorm said
  - 30 Nov 2014
    3:17 pm
Great article & suggestions.
That’s one thing that I absolutely can’t stand is giving babies a bottle in their cot.
I’m glad that you have highlighted this issue.

- - june11 said
  - 29 Nov 2014
    3:24 pm
Some babies start getting teeth by the time they are 6 months old and not sleeping through.
I can guarantee you not settle a baby with water.

- - MumsandBaby said
  - 28 Nov 2014
    11:00 pm
So glad this article could help everyone.

- - curlytops said
  - 27 Nov 2014
    11:55 am
Some good tips in this article

- - Threelos said
  - 26 Nov 2014
    11:58 am
My 1 year old is very resistant to having her teeth brushed, but loves to do it herself, spending some time chewing on the brush and trying to clean her few teeth. I hope as she gets a little older she’ll be more willing to let us do it properly!
- MumsandBaby replied
  
  26 Nov 2014 , 8:33 pm
  That will improve with time. My children dentist advised a great trick to use is getting the Red flouride tablets – when chewed all the bacteria on their teeth shows up as stains. It scared my kids into brushing their teeth better. They usually give them out free as well. Good luck
  - june11 replied
    
    29 Nov 2014 , 3:27 pm
    
    I have never heard of these tablets. What state do you live in?