Seeing a dentist from a very young age allows your child to become more familiar with the process, allows them to get personalized care, and helps encourage a better attitude toward dentistry as your child ages and grows. At Big Apple Pediatric Dentistry, we provide gentle pediatric care for kids of all ages, including infants. Contact us for a consultation today.
Bringing an infant to the dentist may seem strange since most babies don't have all their teeth. However, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that infants see the dentist at age 1, or within 3 months of getting their first tooth.
At Big Apple Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Martinez provides gentle care for young children through a "lap exam" (also known as a knee-to-knee exam). During this exam, you'll hold your infant on your lap while Dr. Martinez cleans their teeth and gums and assesses their oral health.After the consultation, Dr. Martinez will discuss your child's oral health and answer any questions about their dental development. You'll receive all the information needed to care for your child's smile as they grow.
Most infants begin to get their first tooth around 6 months of age, though it may take longer for some kids. Common signs of teething include irritability, disrupted sleep, inflammation and swelling of the gums, drooling, and a rash around the mouth.
You don’t need to do anything special to deal with teething. If your child is very uncomfortable and cranky, you can soothe their gums by rubbing them with a clean finger or cold washcloth, or rubbing a cold spoon on their gums.
Teething rings, which are usually made of soft silicone, can also allow your child to bite and put pressure on their teeth and gums, which helps with the discomfort of teething.
We’ll make sure your little one gets started off on the right foot at our office.
When your child doesn’t have any teeth, you simply need to wipe their gums with a clean washcloth after they feed. Once your child gets their first tooth, you should clean it with a grain-of-rice-sized dab of toothpaste on a soft-bristled baby toothbrush, and continue to do so as their other teeth emerge.
You should brush your infant’s teeth and gums at least twice per day, ideally once in the morning and once at night after their final feeding. This is the best way to keep their teeth and gums healthy.
As long as you maintain proper at-home oral care, feed your infant a healthy diet, and see Dr. Martinez for a six-month teeth cleaning and oral exam, you will be able to avoid common problems like tooth decay and plaque buildup on the gums. So make sure to follow Dr. Martinez's instructions to care for your child’s mouth, and be consistent about oral care for your infant as they grow.
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