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You and Your Child
Checklist
Birth to 6 Months
- Clean the baby's mouth
with a gauze or washcloth after feedings and at bedtime.
Teeth begin to erupt at 4-8 months of age.
- Regulate feeding
habits and do not encourage between feeding snacks or
beverages containing large amounts of sugar.
- Offer you baby water
on a regular basis - they should drink as much water as they
do milk or juices.
- Do not put your child
to bed with a baby bottle. I would suggest feeding your
child with the bottle or breast-feeding them - then change
their diaper, put on pajamas, wipe out their mouth or brush
their teeth and gums with a soft bristle brush, offer them a
bottle of water then place them in bed.
- Do not breast feed
your child to sleep because breast milk also has sugar
(lactose) in it - just as cow's milk has sugar (lactose) in
it.
- If your child
wants to suck their thumb, offer them a pacifier.
6 to 12 Months
- Your child's first
tooth should appear at age 4-8 months.
- Begin brushing the
teeth after each feeding with a water dampened small
soft-bristled brush.
- Baby begins to
walk. I would recommend not allowing your toddler to carry a baby bottle
or sippy cup while walking about because they could fall and injure their
mouth and increase their risk of early childhood tooth decay.
12 to 18 Months
- Wean your baby from
the breast or bottle at age 12 months. If you want to
continue breast-feeding, be certain to brush the teeth after
each feeding.
- See your dentist for
your baby's first dental examination at age 12-15 months.
- Start using a
pea-sized portion of fluoride toothpaste when the child is
able to rinse - especially at bedtime.
- Give your toddler
healthy snacks and do not allow them to chew gum.
- Stop pacifier
use at age 12 months of age or earlier. Prolonged pacifier
use
can cause dental malformations, poor oral habits and encourage
or promote ear infections.
24 Months
- Most or all of the
primary teeth have erupted.
- Follow the schedule of
exams and cleanings recommended by your pediatric dentist.
- Early dental examinations
and cleanings when there are not cavities present is the only way you
can insure that your child will have a positive and comfortable first
experience with a dentist.
If you want more information, please feel free to contact us
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