EVERYTHING you need know to about looking after those new baby teeth!
When your baby gets their first teeth through it’s such a cute milestone!
The milk set of teeth have many important functions such as chewing, speech, appearance and keeping space for adult teeth.
So here are my 7 superstar tips for looking after baby teeth from the very start;
So here are my 7 superstar tips for looking after baby teeth from the very start;
Normally the lower front teeth erupt around 6 months of age (but it can vary by a few months).
There will be 20 baby teeth in total.
Brushing at bedtime and at one other time each day.
Building this habit into the daily routine from the beginning makes life easier for both you and your baby.
A good position for a young baby is to have them sat facing forward on your lap leaning into your chest.
Or try whilst they are sat up supported in the bath.
Most mainstream brands have suitably designed brushes.
Apply a flat smear of fluoridated toothpaste - for ages 0-3 it should contain no less than 1000ppm of fluoride (this will be clear on the packaging).
It is advised that during weaning savoury flavours such as green veg are introduced first.
Babies don’t require sugar (or salt) adding to their food.
Read the labels of baby food pouches carefully to check sugar content, especially fruit based ones.
And ideally encourage your baby to feed from a spoon rather than a nozzle.
For babies under 12 months stick to plain water or their usual milk (breast or formula).
Fruit flavoured water or juices are not suitable and can easily damage baby tooth enamel.
Whole cows’ milk can then be given as a drink from age 1.
Water doesn’t need to be pre-boiled after 6 months of age.
Introduce an open or free flow cup from 6 months upwards to protect teeth, promote a sipping action and aid your baby’s fine motor skills development.
Take your baby for an appointment before their 1st Birthday.
Your family dentist can assess dental development and provide tailored advice and support.
Plus it helps to acclimatise children to the dental environment from a young age.
Not all babies will experience symptoms during teething, some teeth may simply appear.
However the main ways to ease teething-related pain are; soothing (such as cooled teething toys, frozen plain yoghurt popsicles or chilled fruit slices), distraction (teething aids can provide gentle counter pressure to massage the gums as baby chews them), pain medication if required and lots of comfort!
If baby is drooling lots then wipe this away to prevent a rash on their delicate skin.
A Cheeky Chomper's Neckerchew teething bib is great for both chewing away the pain and catching the dribble!
Teething tends to kick off when your baby is around 6 months old.
However, it can start anytime between 3 and 12 months of age.
Which Tooth First?
(Larger view / Printer friendly)
This cheeky teething chart shows you which teeth to expect and when!
Chart your teething journey - Print this chart and you can add your baby's teething milestones.
🦷 A full set of baby teeth is 20
🦷 Your little one will have their full set of teeth at 3 years old
🦷 Six months is the average age a baby starts teething
🦷 Some babies start teething in the womb!
Tag us @cheekychompers on social to share when your little one's first teeth come through!
Find out how and when to use our baby starter toothbrush. A safe training toothbrush for babies to hold and explore.
The Flexi-Brush is designed to help gently clean those new baby teeth and massage teething gums.
The soft toothbrush and bristles are made from Food Grade Silicone (FDA approved), so nice and gentle on young gums and teeth!
The two handed design helps baby to easily grip the toothbrush, explore and have fun!
Whilst with your help, also encouraging them to get used to the sensation of tooth brushing, form early good brushing habits and teach little ones to look after their teeth.
The Flexi-Brush applicator can be used with teething gel or toothpaste, so ideal to massage and clean gums with and without teeth.
The Flexi-Brush is safe to use from birth upwards.
The Flexi-Brush is ideal for when babies start teething to help massage and clean gums. You could also use the applicator to add a little teething gel too.
Add a little age appropriate toothpaste and use the Flexi-Brush to help clean those baby teeth and get baby used to the taste and sensation of tooth brushing.
The two handed design makes it easier for baby to grip and explore themselves (with supervision close by).
Alternatively you can hold and help brush baby's teeth and gums.
It's all about having fun and exploring together!
Start brushing as soon as the first tooth comes in normally the lower front teeth erupt around 6 months of age (but it can vary by a few months).
brushing at bedtime and at one other time each day. Building this habit into the daily routine from the beginning makes life easier for both you and your baby.
A good position for a young baby is to have them sat facing forward on your lap leaning into your chest. Or try whilst they are sat up supported in the bath.
Use a baby appropriate toothbrush with a small head, soft bristles and an easy grip handle.
Apply a flat smear of fluoridated toothpaste for ages 0-3 it should contain no less than 1000ppm of fluoride (this will be clear on the packaging).
Made from 100% soft and pliable food grade silicone (FDA Approved).
Gentle and safe in little mouths
It's easy to clean the Flexi-Brush, it's safe to either clean it in the dishwasher or in the steriliser.
Please note that the Flexi-Brush is not a toy. It should be used under adult supervision.
You can still use the Flexi-Brush as teeth continue to erupt as it's soft and fun for baby to get used to tooth brushing.
We recommend to also use a nylon bristle brush once first teeth are fully erupt, to help make sure you clean all the areas around and between teeth.