Children’s Smile and Dental Care

Your children’s smile brings you joy.  The best way to keep your child’s smile healthy is to begin dental care early in life. Teaching good habits of brushing and flossing of their teeth early in life keeps teeth healthy.  Healthy teeth help your children chew and enjoy food, help build self-esteem and create healthy smiles!

Begin Dental Care Early in Life

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends parents take children to a dentist no later than their first birthday.   Parents can start to provide dental care for their babies, toddlers and older children at home:

·      Begin cleaning the baby’s mouth during the first few days after birth by wiping the gums with a clean washcloth

·      Baby’s front four teeth erupt at about 6 months of age (some children have their first tooth at 12-14 months); 

·      Brush twice daily with an infant toothbrush

·      Floss daily when baby teeth touch each other

·      For children younger than 3 years old, use only a “smear” of fluoridated toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) on the bristles of toothbrush; brush 2x daily.  Parents continue the supervision and remind the child not to swallow the toothpaste

·      For children 3 to 6 years of age, use a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste and brush 2x daily.  Parents continue the supervision and remind the child not to swallow the toothpaste

·      After age 6, continue to brush and floss the children’s teeth daily until parents are comfortable that the child can brush on his or her own

                              Contact Dr. Anna Lee & her team today for more information.