A newborn baby brings unparalleled happiness for you and your family. But, no doubt, it also calls for a few responsibilities on your shoulder. One of the most important and challenging tasks is the maintenance of your baby’s teeth. But, the important question is “when to Begin Dental Care for Your Baby?. Let’s start this with some interesting facts-

• Teeth are formed when babies are in the womb itself.
• At the time of birth, babies have 20 teeth, though invisible.
• Teeth actually start appearing between the age of six and ten months old.
• The last is the adult teeth. 32 in number, substitute these primary teeth between 6-20 years of age

When should you be concerned?
You cannot wait for the baby to turn 5 or 6, to start his dental care. Instead, the basic care for his teeth should be started as soon as he is born. There are a few key steps to it. One of them is to clean his gums with a damp gauze. This way, you are preparing him for brushing and other healthy habits when his first tooth appears.

Have a look at these things that you should definitely include in your ‘to-do list’ at this stage-

• Post-feeding cleaning- Do not miss cleaning your baby’s gum after you feed him. You can use a soft cloth for the purpose, else it might hurt. Also, as you have to feed him many times a day, wrapping a soft piece of cloth around your finger will be handy.
• Gentle massage- Accompany the cleaning process with a gentle massage in the baby’s gums. You can do this before bedtime.
• Teething ring- Once the baby is 4-6 months, he/she will start having his first tooth. This is called teething. During this time, he may drool more. He may want to chew everything. To make him comfortable, you can get a teething ring for your baby. He may also experience redness and swelling in the gums, which is normal. But, if it lasts longer and creates a problem, you must see a dentist.

At this instance of time, and onwards, be familiar with the normal shape of baby teeth and check your baby for the same. Also, make sure there are no dark spots or patches on his teeth. If you find any such sign, you need to be concerned, see a dentist and seriously begin dental care for your baby.

Golden steps to dental care
The basic care starts from the birth of your baby itself. However, with the growth of teeth, concern increases multiple folds. Make sure you follow these steps to prevent his teeth from permanent decay –

• Schedule a dental visit, as soon as your baby has his first tooth.
• Consult the dentist for the right toothpaste for his teeth at different crucial ages.
• Make him brush his teeth twice a day.
• Keep him away from candies and drinks.
• Avoid putting him to sleep with a bottle.

Follow these simple steps to keep your baby teeth healthy from his childhood itself!

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