When should you start brushing your baby’s teeth?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as the first tiny tooth pops through the gums to prevent cavities early on.

Brush Baby’s Gum with a washcloth

Better yet, you can make tooth brushing a routine for baby from the start by brushing baby’s gums with a little finger brush or even a warm washcloth. This way, by the time their first tooth appears, they are used to this ritual.

How Often Should I Brush my babies teeth?

Pediatric dentists suggest brushing a toddler’s teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time, making one of those brushings part of the bedtime routine, for proper dental hygiene.

What Is The Best Way To Go About Brushing Baby’s Teeth?

• Make them comfortable by leaning them back in your lap, with their head in the crook of your arm.
• Tilt up their chin and have them open wide so you can see inside their mouth.
• The ADA suggests  using a soft bristled toothbrush with a small head and a pea sized amount of ADA approved fluoride toothpaste
• To properly brush their teeth, the ADA suggests brushing at a 45 degree angle and using tiny, tooth-wide strokes, brushing top bottom, front, back, and chewing surfaces of each and every tooth.
• Rinse with a small amount of water.

8 Tips On Making Brushing Children’s Teeth A Breeze

Sometimes textbook tips don’t work as smoothly as they are laid out for you. Children are little people with individual thoughts and feelings. Keep this in mind and try some of these tips to make this ritual simple and fun for both of you.

1. 1. Find fun toothpaste and toothbrushes. They make toothbrushes in every color and design, some glow in the dark and others may have their favorite character. Choose something your little one will anticipate using!
   2. Pay attention to the flavor! If your baby continues to fight, try a new taste! Some popular choices include bubblegum and strawberry, but the options are nearly endless.
   3. Music makes everything better! So play fun brushing songs that put them in the mood. You can even get creative and make up your own!
   4. Remember, monkey see, monkey do. Let them watch you brush, and try to emphasize how good your teeth feel when you’re done.
   5. Talk about teeth, even when it’s not time to brush. Point out times why they are important and how nice they look when people smile.
   6. Read about them as well! Some awesome tooth books include, The Tooth Book, Brush Your Teeth Please, and Clarabella’s Teeth.
   7. Use the mirror! Little ones love to see themselves. After each brushing, let them look into the mirror and encourage them to smile and look at their pearly whites, while you gush over how healthy their teeth look.
   8. Let them lead! Early on, kids learn that they love things they can control. Sure, it is important to make sure it is done correctly, but it is more important to ensure it gets done. Let them brush for a moment on their own- even the littlest ones will enjoy this sense of autonomy. When they become toddlers, build their sense of accountability about their tooth health by having them ‘get what you missed” after you are done brushing.

Make Brushing Baby’s Teeth Fun

Brushing baby’s teeth can become an exciting routine and great way to bond, rather than a chore, if you remember to make it fun. Dental hygiene is incredibly important, so prepare them, for a long life of healthy smiles!
Protect your child’s teeth by starting dental checkups early. The American DentalAssociation and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry say that the first dental visit should occur within six months after the baby’s first tooth appears, but no later than the child’s first birthday, Our Board-Certified Pediatric Dentists provide the best possible pediatric dental care through kindness, education, and excellent treatment, call us today 1+907-562-1003.

You’ll be amazed at how much your child will look forward to their next dental visit with our pediatric dentists