Keeping your child’s teeth and gums protected from tooth decay and gum disease essentially prepares them for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Today, Dr. Susan Francis and our pediatric dentistry team have some tips to help you care for your child’s smile.

— Be sure to bring your little one into Bellmead Kids Dentistry for a check up around their first birthday or even six months after their first tooth comes in. Doing this will help your child become familiar with their dental office, their dentist, and dental team. This will not only help them to feel comfortable in the dental office environment and allow us to provide you with information so that you can properly care for their teeth and gums.

— Be sure to make their oral hygiene a habit early on in their development. If your little one hasn’t sprouted their baby teeth, you can still wash their gums with a clean, moist washcloth after each feeding. Once their teeth begin to erupt, you can clean them with water and a baby toothbrush. At this stage, using toothpaste isn’t necessary, but that changes when they reach 2-3 years old. Even then, you will only need to use a tiny, rice-sized amount of toothpaste. You can begin flossing your child’s little chompers once they touch each other to remove plaque and bits of food that might lodge in the crevices.

— You will want to avoid baby bottle tooth decay to protect your child’s smile. To accomplish this, don’t be tempted to put them to sleep with a baby bottle of fruit juice. Milk and formula are best for your child’s developing smile, and if you do offer them juice on occasion, it is a good idea to limit it to 4 oz. a day in a sippy cup and when they eat.

If you have any questions about how to protect your child’s smile in Waco, Texas, please call Bellmead Kids Dentistry at 254-870-8814 and speak to a member of our dedicated team. We are here to help you and your child have a happy dental experience while building healthy smiles!