Tiny teeth: Tips from the pros on baby's first visit to the dentist

It can be confusing to figure out just when it is time to take your baby for their very first trip to the dentist.

(Photo: Special)

Baby teeth may ultimately be destined for the tooth fairy's collection, but proper care is still an essential part of your baby's health.

"I see at least 20 one- and two-year-olds every day with decay," says Dr. Stuart Bonnin, DMD.

In his years as a pediatric dentist, he has seen an increasing number of very young children with cavities, due to the common practice of giving them sugared beverages and juices in their bottles and sippy-cups.

Even though they might not be consuming solid foods or candy, such regular exposure to sugar is what drives the recommendation for babies to start seeing a dentist between the ages of 1 and 2½ years old, when those tiny teeth start coming in.

"If there are white, brown, or yellow spots in the teeth, it might simply be staining. But it generally indicates decay," says Dr. Bonnin, noting that he commonly sees 1-year-olds with signs of decay in the few teeth that they have.

As a general rule of thumb, he has a few tips for parents with tiny mouths to tend, wise ways to keep cavities at bay:

• "For children under 2, simply use a wet toothbrush with no training toothpaste," he says. "If the child is 2 years old or over, use a soft children's toothbrush with children's toothpaste that contains fluoride."

One don't on his list?

"Avoid using training toothpastes — essentially, those pastes are nothing more than sweet substances that serve very little purpose and certainly provide no dental benefits," he says. "The sweetness actually teaches them to swallow toothpaste, and it becomes a hard habit to break once they're using fluoride toothpaste."

• "Brushing your baby's teeth twice a day is important," Dr. Bonnin says. "Begin flossing when they have teeth that touch."

• Most importantly, "Never put a baby to bed with anything but water in their bottle."

"Babies don't need to have a minimum number of teeth before they see the dentist," says Dr. Stephanie Flynn Tilley, DMD, of Smiles by Design.

In fact, the Pensacola-based dentist recommends that oral hygiene practices be implemented early, even before any teeth emerge.

"Initially, parents should begin dental care prior to teeth by using a soft, wet cloth on gums," she says.

And while she prefers babies to be at least 2 years old before their first "Happy Visits," she sees many parents who visit her offices before a first cleaning so that the child can be familiarized with the environment and the staff.

Regardless of age, Dr. Tilley acknowledges that there are factors that might make an earlier visit to the dentist necessary. "Babies should be seen immediately if they're exhibiting tooth pain, showing signs of decay, or have fallen and hit their mouth," she says. "If a baby of any age is exhibiting teething issues or showing difficulties eating or breast feeding due to a low frenum attachment, they should be seen right away."

Through it's not necessary to seek out a pediatric dentist, many general dentists will not see patients so young. Finding the right dentist for your baby can be simple — just ask your own family dentist for referrals or ask family and friends for their recommendations.

So as you ready your little one for their first tiny bites of birthday cake, keep those pearly whites in mind and plan a visit to the dentist — that toothy grin will be its own reward.


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