Baby Teeth Tips and Timing: When to start Dental Checkups with your little ones

Taking care of baby teeth starts early…even before the baby teeth arrive.  Parents should aim to wipe baby’s gums with a damp washcloth once or twice a day so that kids become accustomed to having something in their mouths to clean it.  Once the baby teeth poke through the gum switch from a washcloth to a baby size toothbrush with extra soft bristles and water.   The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that you take your baby to a dentist by age 1 or within 6 months of the first baby tooth.  This early dental visit focuses on education and a discussion with parents about development, thumb sucking, bottle and breast feeding, and why baby teeth are so important.  The visit also gives the Dr. the opportunity to see early childhood problems such as caries (also known as baby bottle tooth decay), educate the parent on proper homecare, and give the child a positive experience in a dental setting.