5 Essential Steps for Keeping Your Child's Teeth Healthy

It’s never too early to address your child’s dental health. Oral health care should start long before their teeth ever begin to erupt, and visiting the dentist should be cemented as a positive experience from their very first appointment.

At Fayette Dental Group, serving patients in Fayetteville, Georgia, and the surrounding area, Dr. Charley Cheney and his team of experienced dental specialists provide family dentistry including pediatric dental care. 

While the rare baby is born with teeth, it’s fairly unusual. In most cases, you’ll have some time — and plenty of warning — before your little one’s teeth begin to show. However, you can get started with an oral hygiene regimen before any teeth actually come in.

Here are the five essential steps for keeping your child’s teeth healthy:

1. Ensure gum health

Keeping your child’s gums healthy protects their teeth under the gumline. Begin by gently wiping your infant’s gums down with a wet, lint-free washcloth after feedings. This will help them get used to having their gums and later their teeth touched regularly.

2. Promote water drinking

As your child grows, have them drink a little water after feedings, first in a bottle, then in a sippy cup. This continues the pattern of keeping their gums fresh and clean. Offer water as often as you do milk or juice to set good oral health habits.

3. Make and keep your child’s first dental appointment

At the age of one year, or when your child’s first tooth shows up — whichever is first — make an appointment with our office. Your child’s first visit will be played by ear, ensuring they have a fun, comfortable, and positive experience. At each visit, we provide new care steps to help them grow accustomed to sitting in the chair and having their mouth and teeth inspected and cleaned. 

4. Create an at-home routine

Instill good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing alongside your child. They will need help with these tasks until they’re at least eight years old. Make this time fun by playing some music and letting them choose their own special toothbrush.

5. Continue with biannual dental visits

Most dental issues can be resolved with less pain and financial cost when they’re discovered early through routine preventative dentistry. Bringing your child in to have their teeth cleaned twice a year ensures we can track their oral health over time and notice quickly if anything seems amiss.

It doesn’t take a huge time investment to keep your child’s teeth healthy, and the results are well worth it. To book your child’s next dental visit, call 770-683-2000, or request an appointment using our online form.