CARING FOR YOUR BABY’S TEETHDURING PREGNANCYBIRTH TO 6 MONTHS6 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR1-3 YEARSTHOUGHTS ON PACIFIERS

PREGNANCY• YOUR BABY WILL HAVE A

HEALTHIER MOUTH IF YOU KEEP A HEALTHY MOUTH

• RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MOTHERS WITH TOOTH DECAY AND GUM DISEASE WILL PASS THOSE BACTERIA ON TO THEIR BABIES

• HORMONE CHANGES IN PREGNANT WOMEN CAN AFFECT ORAL HEALTH

• IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A DENTAL CHECKUP WHILE PREGNANT AND TREAT TOOTH DECAY AND GUM DISEASE.

BIRTH TO 6 MONTHS

• PARENTS SHOULD BEGIN CLEANING YOUR BABIES MOUTH DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS AFTER BIRTH.

• WIPE YOUR BABIES GUMS WITH A CLEAN, SOFT WASHCLOTH AFTER EACH FEEDING.

• CLEANING THE MOUTH THIS EARLY KEEPS THE GROWTH OF CAVITY CAUSING BACTERIA LOW AND HELPS THE BABY GET USED TO HAVING THE MOUTH CHECKED AND CLEANED.

6 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR

• BEGIN BRUSHING YOUR BABY’S TEETH WITH AN INFANT TOOTHBRUSH AS SOON AS THE TEETH BEGIN TO ERUPT.

• CHECK THE CHILDS MOUTH MONTHLY FOR CHANGES WITH THE TEETH AND GUM TISSUE.

• HAVE A DENTAL ‘WELL BABY’ CHECK-UP AROUND 12 MONTHS OF AGE—MANY DENTAL OFFICES EVEN DO THIS FOR FREE.

1 TO 3 YEARS• THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO BEGIN TEACHING GOOD BRUSHING

HABITS.• BRUSH YOUR CHILDS TEETH TWICE DAILY, ESPECIALLY BEFORE

BED.• GIVE YOUR TODDLER A CHANCE TO BRUSH THEIR OWN

TEETH AND ENCOURAGE THEM!• BEGIN FLOSSING WHEN YOU NOTICE AT LEAST TWO TEETH

TOUCHING.• REPLACE YOUR TODDLER’S BRUSH AT LEAST EVERY 6

MONTHS.• KEEP REGULAR DENTAL CHECK-UPS.

NOTES ON PACIFIERS• SUCKING IS A NATURAL REFLEX AND CAN BE VERY

COMFORTING TO A BABY—MOST CHILDREN WILL GRADUALLY STOP SUCKING A PACIFIER OR THUMB BY AGE 2-4 YEARS.

• IT IS MUCH EASIER TO STOP A PACIFIER HABIT BECAUSE IT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY—AN AGGRESSIVE THUMB SUCKING HABIT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO STOP AND IS BEST PREVENTED RATHER THAN REVERSED.

• IT IS BEST TO TAKE PACIFIERS AWAY STARTING AT 12 MONTHS OF AGE AND CERTAINLY BY 18 MONTHS.– SUCKING AFTER THIS AGE CAN AFFECT THE POSITION OF

THE DEVELOPING TEETH AND CAN EVEN AFFECT THE SHAPE OF THE DEVELOPING JAWS.

101 E. 23rd Ave, NKC, MO 64116(816) 842-3314

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