Your Baby’s First Teeth Are Here! Now What?

This is a sponsored post by Baby Orajel on taking care of baby’s first teeth. All opinions are my own.

Last weekend we went camping with our nine month old baby. And she cut a brand new tooth the second day we were there. She was a little extra fussy, wanting to be held and nurse a lot more than normal, and had a fever for two days. Thankfully, she slept like a rock both nights we camped even though she wasn’t feeling so hot. A few days later and her other front tooth popped out of her gums. Three or four more teeth can be faintly seen under the gums. I think we’re in for a fun two or three weeks.

Like every new parent, I had no idea how to take care of baby’s first teeth. I mean, they are so small and they aren’t really eating super sugary foods or getting stuff stuck in their teeth, so how was I supposed to take care of them? And did I really have to do anything special? After all they will just fall out in a few years.

Honestly, my husband and I haven’t been as great as we need to be with taking care of our baby’s first teeth, our current baby and her older siblings. But, early oral care is important.

But good oral care for your baby’s first teeth really does matter. If you neglect their teeth you can set them up for lifelong dental trouble. Unfortunately, a five year old’s oral health can predict greater decay and disease at 26, especially for poor children according to this study. Even though baby teeth that get cavities fall out eventually, the infection and bacteria from that tooth may continue hanging out in your child’s mouth. If a child’s tooth needs to pulled it can also lead to problems with the adult teeth coming in where they are supposed to.

Thankfully taking care of a baby’s first teeth can be as simple as using a wet washcloth and rubbing it around her gums and teeth. This can easily be done when you are cleaning baby up after eating and when it’s bath time.

A good brushing with the Baby Orajel Elmo Tooth & Gum Cleanser with a finger brush is a great option for a better clean. Plus, the finger brush is more appropriate way for my baby to chomp on me and comes with the added bonus of getting their teeth cleaned and healthy at the same time.

When my baby gets more teeth we’ll start using the Baby Orajel Elmo toothbrush with the tooth and gum cleanser. It’ll help her get used to daily brushings along with her siblings. Let’s just hope we don’t have any toothbrush battles when that time comes.

Other smart things to do to set your baby up for good oral health are:

• Never put baby to bed with a bottle or sippy cup with anything other than water. This means no juice, milk, or formula.
• Don’t share eating utensils with your baby, including straws. Bacteria from your mouth can be passed onto your baby’s first teeth increasing their risk of decay.
• Breastfeed if at all possible. It provides the best nutrition and shows no increased risk of cavities in baby’s first teeth.
• Limit sugary drinks.
• When your baby is old enough, use a toothpaste with flouride and use a flouride mouth rinse.

If you want more tips about early tooth and gum care visit Orajel.

What do you do you ensure your baby’s first teeth stay healthy?