Oral Care for Infants and Children

Infant dental care is extremely important from the very beginning. Many dentists recommend an initial visit before the child's first birthday to make sure teeth and gums are cared for and cleaned properly.

It is a good idea to get in the habit of cleaning your baby's gums soon after birth. 

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During your baby’s first year, there are a few conditions to be aware of, including:

Teething
Between 3 and 9 months, your infant's baby teeth will begin to emerge (erupt) into the mouth. Teething may make your child irritable or fussy and may cause restlessness, drooling or loss of appetite. However, it has not been shown to cause any other childhood symptoms.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Baby bottle tooth decay — also called "early childhood dental caries" — is one of the most important issues in infant tooth care. This condition is caused by frequent exposure, over time, to sugary liquids, which can seriously damage a baby’s teeth and overall oral health.

Pacifier Use
Sucking is a normal part of development that is comforting to children well into their first years of life. In fact, sucking often brings comfort even after a child no longer needs to get nourishment from a breast or bottle. During a child's first few years, sucking habits probably won't damage his or her mouth. But frequent and long-term sucking can cause problems. This is especially true if the habit continues after baby teeth start to fall out.

Thumbsucking
Thumbsucking is a natural  reflex for little ones — babies even do it in the womb. It's soothing, and many kids stop on their own around ages 2 to 4.

Thumbsucking is certainly nothing to worry about with infants, and might even help them fall asleep more quickly. Problems can arise when kids do a lot of active sucking, especially when their permanent teeth start coming in. Your dentist can offer advice on how to monitor the situation.