Baby's First Teeth: When You Can Start Using Toothpaste (2024)

FAQs

Baby's First Teeth: When You Can Start Using Toothpaste? ›

At 24 months, all your baby's teeth should have come in. Once this happens, you can use a rice grain amount of toothpaste. Pediatric dentists usually recommend less concentrated levels of fluoride in toothpaste suited for children.

for children 0–18 months of age – use only water, no toothpaste. from 18 months until the child turns six years old – use a small pea-sized amount of low fluoride children's toothpaste (check on the pack) from six years of age – use a pea-sized amount of standard fluoride toothpaste.

3-6 Months: Continue Gum Care and Begin Tooth Brushing

Brushing the baby's gums can help relieve teething pain and encourage tooth eruption. If any of your baby's teeth have erupted by this age, brush them with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste twice a day.

Toothpaste should not be used on babies younger than the age of two, because babies cannot expectorate (spit it out). Fluoride is a good thing in the right amount at the right developmental stage, but not during infancy.

For their safety, do not have your child switch to fluoride toothpaste until they are able to spit. While there isn't a specific age or a hard deadline to switch, many children are ready to switch toothpaste around age six.

From 18 months to 3 years, you can start using a smear-sized amount of low-fluoride toothpaste, unless a dentist recommends otherwise. Your child can start helping to clean their teeth at around 2 years of age. Letting your child hold the toothbrush with you will help them feel they're part of the action.

Brush their teeth with an infant toothbrush. Use water and a tiny bit of infant toothpaste that's recommended by your doctor or dentist. Talk with your dentist about fluoride. When your baby's teeth touch, you can begin flossing between them.

If you aren't brushing your baby's teeth, those teeth can quickly decay and interfere with your child's nutrition, speech development, and social life. Your child's mouth is the gateway to their whole body! Because of this, oral care isn't just a physical health issue.

Infants start teething at around 4 months old. Even before that happens, regular oral hygiene is a must. Leaving breast milk or formula residues in your baby's mouth for days allows bacteria to thrive in their sugary saliva. This can cause fungal infections.

How often does my newborn need a bath? There's no need to give your newborn baby a bath every day. Three times a week might be enough until your baby becomes more mobile. Bathing your baby too much can dry out your baby's skin.

How to brush baby's teeth when they refuse? ›

Bring in a favorite stuffed animal or doll, and let your child “brush” the toy's teeth (without toothpaste, of course) while you brush your child's teeth. Play some music while brushing. Turn on a fun song that lasts about two minutes, and let your child know that when the song is done, it will be time to rinse.

It is not recommended to use fluoride toothpaste on a child who is under 2 years old. However, once they have reached that milestone, you can begin using a tiny amount of baby fluoride toothpaste—around the size of a grain of rice.

The Orajel toothpaste is designed with tiny tots in mind. It's intended for children as young as 4 months up through 24 months, or 2 years old. It's free from alcohol, SLS, parabens, aspartame, dyes, and sugar.

Adult toothpastes have additional ingredients that aren't appropriate for children, such as whiteners, brighteners, antimicrobials, peroxide and abrasive material.

The good news is that, according to the American Dental Association, if your child swallows the recommended amount of fluoride toothpaste (a pea size), you don't need to worry, especially if you're supervising them. That's because the recommended size should not be enough to have a toxic effect on their body.

As soon as your baby's first tooth erupts, it's time to start using fluoride toothpaste. Here's how to do it: Use a tiny smear—the size of a grain of rice—until age 3. Clean the teeth at least twice a day.

12–18 months. As baby continues to develop more teeth, it's important for you to develop good oral hygiene habits. If you haven't already started brushing their teeth twice per day, now's the time to add that into your morning and nighttime routine.

Infants start teething at around 4 months old. Even before that happens, regular oral hygiene is a must. Leaving breast milk or formula residues in your baby's mouth for days allows bacteria to thrive in their sugary saliva. This can cause fungal infections.

This usually happens when babies are between three and six months old. Teeth brushing is so important that it is never too early to begin the process of maintaining your baby's oral health.