How to clean baby's teeth?

Dental care is one of the primary concerns of new parents. Here are a few pointers for healthy teeth of your baby:

1) Dental care starts even before the first tooth erupts:

For most babies their first tooth arives at around 6 months, but it can come as early as 3 months or as late as 12 months. Very few babies have 1 or 2 teeth at the time of birth. The baby's gums must be kept clean even befor the arrival of his/her first tooth. The gums have to be cleaned using a clean, damp washcloth, preferably after meal. 

2) Start cleaning with a toothbrush once first tooth arrives:

Once the first tooth of the baby erupts, the parent can start using special toothbrush for babies under the age of 2 or finger toothbrush to clean the baby's teeth and gums. It is important to clean using just water on the toothbrush till the age of 2. The parent can place the baby's head on a flat surface or on their lap and brush in a circular manner from inside as well as outside. It is also important to clean the gums and tongue of the baby. It is recommended that once the first tooth of the baby arrives one should schedule appointments to the dentist at regular intervals to check for any cavities or abnormalities in eruption of teeth, and guidance for the maintenance of the primary (milk) teeth.

3) Start using toothpaste after age of 2: 

Once the baby turns two the parent can start using pea sized amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush for brushing. But it is important to use a toothpaste which is recommended for babies, as they have very low or no fluoride content and maintains the health of the milk teeth. Also if swallowed by babies in small quantities these toothpaste's have no health hazards.

There is a general misconception amongst people that primary or milk teeth need not be cared for as they will eventually fall off. But in reality if primary teeth are not looked after it affects the nutrition and speech of the child. In addition cavities or infection in the milk teeth affects the underlying permanent teeth, causing misalignment and cavities on the permanent teeth.

A healthy set of milk teeth means a healthy set of permanent teeth...