09 Jun How to Care for Your Baby’s Teeth
New parents have a lot of questions:
How soon do I need to start brushing my baby’s teeth?
Are pacifiers okay?
Should I let them chew on the side of their crib?
Can babies get cavities?
If your baby has just started cutting their first teeth, you’re probably more focused on relieving their pain than on brushing. Here are a few teething tips and some early oral health care advice from our dentists.
Teething Tips: How To Help Baby’s First Teeth Come Through
Teething is always a wild ride. Fevers and an obsessive need to put everything in their mouth can make it a difficult time. Here are our top three ways to help.
1: Let them chew!
In order for new teeth to come through, they need to cut their way out from their gums. This is why teething is often painful and filled with tears. Chewing gives your little one’s gums the pressure to help the tooth cut through the tissues, and it helps relieve the pain.
2: Put your freezer to work.
Pacifier? In the freezer. Teethers? Freezer. Favorite toy? Say it with us: Freezer. If it’ll fit, your child likes to chew it, and it won’t be hurt by the cold, put it in the freezer. This can help soothe sore gums and give you a plethora of safe toys for them to chew on. We especially like silicone teethers, as they are easily disinfected in the dishwasher and sometimes filled with water to keep them colder longer.
An important note! Always wait two to three minutes before giving your little one the frozen item. Straight from the freezer can be too cold and harm sensitive gums.
3: Talk to your pediatrician about pain medications.
If your little one is in serious pain, you may want to make an appointment with their pediatrician to understand pain management options better. Children need very specific types of pain relievers and doses. These are based on your child’s health history, their weight, and their age. Don’t rely on poor internet advice or guesswork, ask your pediatrician for the proper information.
Why Caring for Baby Teeth Is Essential
Baby teeth are not practice teeth. Now a little louder for those in the back:
Baby teeth are not practice teeth!
People used to think that children didn’t need fillings or dental care until they got their permanent teeth. They thought that since the baby teeth only last a few years, that tooth decay wasn’t possible.
Your child won’t lose all their baby teeth until about age eight. That’s a long time to live with cavities. And cavities in the baby teeth are actually very common. Because the enamel is so much thinner compared to the permanent teeth, kids can get cavities much more easily.
Tooth decay is painful, and kids can’t learn as easily or eat healthy foods when they’re suffering from tooth pain. Cavities can also affect the development of the permanent teeth or cause premature tooth loss.
To avoid all that, it is important to start early with proper oral care. We suggest starting brushing routines as soon as that first little tooth cuts through.
How To Take Care of Your Baby’s New Teeth
Choosing a Toothbrush
When choosing a toothbrush, consider first how many teeth your little one has.
For infants with no or very few teeth, you do not need a toothbrush. A wet washcloth is more effective (and gentle). It will also be easier to wipe out their cheeks and tongue to lower the risk of bacteria and even yeast from feedings. Silicon toothbrushes are good for stimulating your baby’s gums and they make good teething toys, too.
When your child is old enough (usually when they cut their first set of molars) get a toddler-sized toothbrush with a small head and extra soft bristles. The brush should fit comfortably in their mouth, even when closed.
Choosing a Toothpaste
You may have heard that it is recommended to use fluoride toothpaste at 2 years old. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics now suggests using a fluoride toothpaste from the start. Since Prescott, Arizona, does not add fluoride to the city water, choosing a kids’ toothpaste with fluoride is even more important.
We also suggest choosing a toothpaste that your child will be excited to use. This might mean finding the right flavor or one with their favorite character on the tube. Adding stickers to the tube can also make brushing more fun.
Proper Technique Gets the Job Done Right
Remember, toothbrushes and toothpaste are tools, NOT toys. This means you will need to brush your child’s teeth for them, or at least assist them until they can do it correctly on their own.
Make sure you are using the right amount of toothpaste and the right brushing technique.
The right amount of toothpaste is much smaller than you might think. For children 0-2 years, you only need a teeny bit, about the size of a grain of rice. Ages two and up should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Believe it or not, this small amount is all that adults need, as well!
Always brush in a circular pattern, taking extra care to touch the gumline of every tooth. Brush using even, light pressure. Brushing too hard can damage the gums and soft tissues of the mouth or even scratch the tooth enamel.
Pediatric Dental Care That Grows With Your Family
Finding dental care for your family shouldn’t take you all over town. Hicks Dental Group is a family-owned, local practice, and we treat patients of all ages. From toddlers to teens to grandparents, we’re here to serve everyone in the Prescott community. Contact us today to schedule your family’s next round of dental appointments.
Photo by Alfonso Scarpa on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 6/8/26.