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Sweet Smiles
Caring for Your Toddler's Teeth By Melinda Copp
"The mother is often the primary caregiver, and the cleaner Mom's mouth is the less likely the bacteria will transfer to the baby," Ferretti says. Just like pregnancy was an opportune time to start taking better care of yourself and break all your unhealthy habits, now is a great time to improve your dental care habits. This will help instill good habits in your child as he grows up.
Another habit worth breaking is putting your child to bed with a bottle or cup of milk. "Milk in bed causes early childhood cavities and baby bottle tooth decay," Martin says. If you must put your child to bed with something to drink, water is best.
"At this age, good dental care is about practicing and establishing good oral care habits," Martin says. When you use these tips for brushing your child's teeth and take him to the dentist by age 1, you teach your child the importance of good dental hygiene and establish dental care routines that will last a lifetime.