Start brushing as soon as you see your baby’s first tiny tooth come through their gumline.

Start brushing as soon as you see your baby’s first tiny tooth come through their gumline.

Yes, baby teeth do eventually fall out but keeping them healthy to prevent decay and potentially catastrophic premature tooth loss is VERY IMPORTANT. Below are just some of the reasons you want to keep baby teeth clean, healthy and cavity-free:

• They help children speak correctly and chew naturally
• They aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to appear in the mouth
• Premature loss of baby teeth due to decay or trauma can cause speech and spacing problems and incorrect position of the tongue in the mouth which can cause future orthodontic problems
• The first set of teeth saves space for the permanent teeth allowing them to grow in straight and in the correct position
• Although they are not permanent, your baby may have some of his or her first teeth until they are 12 years old. If a child loses a baby tooth early as a result of tooth decay or an accident, a permanent tooth may erupt early or late and potentially come in crooked due to limited space
• Early prevention will help you save money on potentially catastrophic baby and toddler dental procedures!! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Yes, new mommies, daddies and caregivers can pass cavity-causing bacteria to babies through saliva. For example, bacteria is spread by sharing saliva on spoons or cups, testing foods before feeding them to babies, and cleaning off a pacifier in the parent’s or caregiver’s mouth. So, it is important to avoid putting anything in your baby’s mouth (such as a pacifier or sippy cup nozzle) that has been in your mouth.

Your baby’s first dental visit should occur 6 months after their first tooth appears or by their 1st birthday!

If your dentist does not treat children, ask your dentist for a referral to a pediatric dentist, a dentist who specializes in treating children. You can also ask your pediatrician, friends, family, neighbors or coworkers with children whom they would recommend. You can also call our Happy Teeth Dental Referral Center for a recommendation in your area! 800-xxx-xxxx.

Snacks should be low in sugar and should not include sticky foods that remain in the mouth for long periods of time, such as chewy fruit snacks, candies and raisins. Make sure your baby has a balanced diet, limiting the daily number of sugary liquids and foods during the day.

Baby cavities, also known as baby tooth decay or baby caries develop when sugars from liquids or food (other than water) stay on baby’s teeth and gums for long periods of time or frequently throughout the day. The sugar (natural or added sugars) sitting on baby’s teeth are changed to acid by bacteria in the mouth. This acid then eats away at the enamel (the outer part of the teeth) causing them to decay and create cavities (little holes). This is why it is so important to remove the sugar and bacteria so teeth and gums stay clean and cavity-free.

• A baby who is allowed to fall asleep with a bottle is at tremendous risk for tooth decay as well as any child who is given a bottle of sweetened liquids several times a day.
• Baby bottle tooth decay happens when a baby is put to bed at night or nap time with a bottle of breast milk, formula, milk and/or juices containing sugar. If the sugars from breast milk, formula, milk and juices containing sugar remain on baby’s teeth and gums for long periods of time, this leads to baby bottle tooth decay. The bottle should be used for feeding purposes only, not as a pacifier. If possible, it is best to avoid nursing children to sleep or putting anything other than water in their bed-time bottle. If your baby must have a bottle at bed time or is still nursing, make sure to wipe down their gums or brush the teeth following the feeding. This will help to prevent cavities from forming.
• Research suggests that children with baby bottle tooth decay are at risk for more dental problems later in childhood. If baby bottle tooth decay does develop, treatment depends on the extent of the decay.
• Baby bottle tooth decay symptoms are hard to recognize early. Therefore, prevention is the best form of treatment

Good News, there are many ways to prevent baby bottle tooth decay, here are just a few:

• Never put a child to bed with a bottle of milk, mother’s milk, formula, fruit juice or sweetened liquid. If a child needs a bottle in bed, only water should be in the bottle.
• Don’t allow a child to walk around with a bottle in his or her mouth.
• The longer sweetened liquids sit in the mouth, the more likely it is for baby bottle tooth decay to occur.
• Teach a child to drink from a cup as soon as possible. A cup can generally be given to a baby within 6-12 months. Drinking from a cup avoids liquids pooling around the teeth and gums.
• Wipe a baby’s gums with a Xylitol Wipe (Dr. Brown’s Baby Teeth Wipes) after each feeding.
• Once baby’s first tooth begins to appear, start brushing the teeth and gums with a Happy Teeth.
• Because every infant is different, be sure to ask your dental or medical professional about other ways to help prevent baby bottle tooth decay. Only a professional can help you develop your baby’s perfect prevention plan.

Sugars from liquids (mother’s milk, formula, milk, juices) and food + Bacteria = Acid Production. It is this acid which eats away at baby’s teeth and causes cavities. This is why it is so important to remove the sugar and bacteria from baby’s teeth. You can do this by brushing baby’s teeth and gums as soon as you see the very first tooth appear; at least 2-3x per day. It is also important to clean babies teeth and gums before bedtime and/or naptime so the sugars from liquids and foods are removed as you don’t want them remaining on baby’s teeth for long periods of time as this is what can cause cavities. And, during night and nap time, less saliva is produced by baby to help wipe those sugars away.

Welcome to baby brushing, the first step in gently caring for your baby’s first teeth and gums and starting habits that will last a lifetime. Helping prevent cavities begins with our clean, natural, gentle, fluoride free, safe-to-swallow Happy Teeth natural baby toothpaste. Here’s just a few reasons why you’ll love it as much as we do:

No parabens, sulfates or harsh abrasives

Made with Xylitol

No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives

Recommended by pediatric medical and dental professionals

No fluoride & Safe-to-swallow

For babies and toddlers up to 3 years

Ingredients:

• glycerin,
• water
• xylitol,
• propanediol
• sorbitol
• pectin
• xanthan gum
• hydrated silica
• natural flavor
• sorbic acid
• calcium lactate

Directions:

Squeeze a pea sized amount of Happy Teeth onto an extra soft bristled brush. Use a small circlular motion on teeth and gums. For best results, be sure to brush your baby’s teeth at least twice a day, morning and right before bed.

• Once baby teeth have appeared, brush the teeth and gums with a soft and gentle toothbrush and Happy Teeth Baby and Toddler Toothpaste.
• Brush as a family, sing songs(the Happy Teeth jingle), or turn brushing into a fun game
• Try different positions for brushing until you find one that works for both of you.
• A little toothpaste goes a long way! Use an amount equal to the size of a small pea and discourage your baby from swallowing.
• When your child can predictably spit and not swallow toothpaste (approximately 24 months of age), you may begin brushing the teeth with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Be sure to consult with your dental professional if you have any questions regarding the use of fluoride. • As soon as your child can handle a child-size toothbrush, teach the child how to brush his or her teeth and gums directly or indirectly at least 2 times per day. Be involved in helping your child brush their teeth until at least 8 years of age.
• Floss your child’s teeth as soon as all of the baby teeth have appeared, usually when the child is 2 to 3 years old or has at least two teeth touching each other. Be sure to supervise your child and help with flossing.

It is an all-natural sweetener found in many fruits and vegetables and is produced in small amounts by the human body. Xylitol has been proven to help prevent cavities. The World Health Organization has rated Xylitol as one of the safest food additives.

Happy Teeth is an oral care company focused on one thing and one thing only – Helping to prevent baby and toddler tooth decay