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Oral Health Care for Infants and Children In addition to following the basic guidelines for good oral health, infants and children require special care and attention. According to the Surgeon General, dental decay (cavities) is the most common chronic disease of childhood. The most important thing is to teach proper oral health habits in the early years. Before your child develops his or her first teeth, oral health can be maintained by wiping your infant's gums with a damp washcloth or gauze pad after each feeding. As soon as teeth come in, you should clean the baby teeth with a soft cloth or baby toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste. Begin teaching your child techniques of proper brushing around age two or three. Begin teaching your child to floss around age six. Monitor your child's brushing until around age seven or eight, or when the child is able to independently brush and floss correctly. Your child should begin visiting a dental professional around his or her first birthday. Your child's oral health care professional will check oral hygiene and the development of your child's teeth, and will suggest a schedule of regular visits. Always hold your baby while feeding. Never prop the bottle or leave it in the crib or bed with your child. Allowing a child to suck freely on a bottle can lead to baby bottle tooth decay. Dental sealants are thin protective plastic coatings that can help protect the chewing surfaces of your child's teeth. Ask your dental professional to determine if sealant applications would benefit your child. Early Childhood Cavities Prevention Coalition
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