Dental Hygiene for Babies
It is important for a baby to get used to oral hygiene as early as possible. If tooth decay appears, it can cause pain, infection, and malnutrition. In addition, a premature loss of teeth can affect the development of the adult teeth. It is therefore important to seriously consider a baby's oral hygiene.
Before the eruption of teeth
It is advised to clean the baby's gums even before the teeth have erupted. It is recommended to use the following method:
- Laying the baby on the knees, by facing their face.
- Using a small wet cloth to softly rub the gums in a firm manner. The cloth should be applied to the upper and lower gums.
- Cleaning the baby's gums at least twice a day, following breakfast and the last meal of the day.
Native teeth
A baby can be born with one or two teeth already present in the mouth, which are called native teeth. If the teeth appear during the first 30 days after birth, we call them neonatal teeth. These teeth can be primary teeth that do not need any treatments. If however these teeth are mobile, they can be additional teeth that have developed too soon and the dentist could recommend removing them.
Children
References
MedicineNet.com (www.medicinenet.com).
Last update: June 20th 2008.



