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• Contact your local health centre if you have questions about your baby’s teeth and how best to care for them, or talk to your dentist.
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Dental Health 

Brush up on Your Baby’s Teeth…it’s a lesson that lasts a lifetime 

Baby teeth aren’t just for babies. Your child may have some "baby teeth" for a decade or more.

Children need healthy baby teeth to help them eat well, learn to speak clearly, and prevent adult teeth from growing in crooked. That’s why it’s especially important to look after them right from the start. Keeping your baby’s teeth clean and healthy is important even before teeth appear.

How to Care for Your Baby’s Teeth 

Before baby’s teeth come in:

• Use a clean, soft cloth to gently wipe your baby’s gums and mouth once a day, starting at birth.

When first tooth appears:

• Brush twice a day using a soft toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste.
• Always brush before bedtime.
• Seek dental advice from your public health dental staff or your dentist by your child’s first birthday.

What to look for:

• White or brown spots as these are signs of decay.
• Lift your baby’s lip and have a good look around the gum line. Whitish lines along the gum line are signs of decay and often hard to spot.
• Contact your local public health unit or dentist right away. Funding programs may also be available through Interior Health’s Public Health department to help parents in financial need.

Healthy habits for healthy teeth:

• Never put your child to sleep with anything but plain water in their bottle. Milk, juice, formula, and other drinks contain sugars and starches that start to ferment, increasing bacteria in the mouth and causing tooth decay. Save these drinks for snacks and meals.
• Avoid letting your baby drink from a sippy-cup or bottle constantly throughout the day.
• A healthy diet helps, too. Feed your child healthy snacks such as fruits and cooked vegetables and avoid sweets and sugary drinks.
• Make good dental health a part of your routine. Pick a time that works well for both of you. Sing or play games when brushing your baby’s teeth. Try a different toothpaste flavour – sometimes mint or cinnamon can be too strong for baby.