A healthy mouth for your baby

February is Children’s dental health month. In an effort to reach out to the community the Seventh-day Adventist Dental Clinic, in conjunction with the Saipan Tribune, will print four articles related to children’s oral health.

Many parents wonder how soon they should start to care for their baby’s teeth. The answer is before the baby is even born. What you eat when you are pregnant is important. Eating right will help you and your growing baby stay healthy. Follow your doctor’s advice and eat the right food and take vitamins. This is also a good talk to your doctor about breastfeeding.

A good time to start taking care of your children’s oral health is when you give your baby the first bath. Even though your child has no teeth at this time, there is a white film already on the gums and tongue. This white film contains bacteria. By cleaning the baby’s gums with a washcloth, you are getting rid of the white film that contains plaque as well as getting the child used to having her/his mouth cleaned on a regular basis. As soon as teeth do come in, clean the teeth with a clean, soft cloth or a baby’s toothbrush. Clean the teeth at least twice a day. It is best to clean them after every feeding.

At about age 2, most of your child’s teeth will be in. Now you can start brushing them with a tiny drop of non-fluoride toothpaste. As your child gets older let him/her use a toothbrush to brush their teeth. Most children do not like having their teeth brushed but the earlier you start the easier it will be for them to get used to it. There are many ways you can help your child enjoy having you brush their teeth. You can play a game; have the child take turns brushing his teeth while you brush yours and then switch. Remember that fun should be part of the activity. If you read a book every night to your children you can have them brush their teeth while they hear the story and if they stop brushing then you stop reading; this is what we do at home and it seems to work really well with older children.

Most of all, remember that children learn from experience. If children grow up watching their parents take care of their teeth by brushing and flossing often the children will do the same. It is also helpful to talk to your children about the bacteria that live in our mouth. Letting them know that just as we shower our bodies, we need to “shower” our teeth.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s oral health please feel free to call the SDA dental clinic at 234-6323. For the month of February as a celebration of Children’s Dental Health month the SDA dental clinic will be offering free dental exams to all the children of the CNMI. Call today!