OB/GYN:
Prenatal and Postnatal Oral Health
During pregnancy
- Maintaining a healthy mouth during pregnancy is important to the health of both mother and child.
- Be sure you schedule dental check-ups and cleanings.
- Good brushing and flossing routines are essential.
- Call the dentist if your gums bleed when you brush or floss.
Planning for baby’s arrival
- Be sure you have identified a regular dentist for your child by age 1. Before your child’s first birthday, plan to bring your child to that dentist.
- Be sure you have a soft, finger toothbrush to take care of baby’s mouth.
Baby’s arrival
- Begin brushing your child’s teeth when you see the first tooth appear. Use fluoride toothpaste in an amount no more than a smear or size of a grain of rice.
- Brush teeth thoroughly twice per day.
- When your child has two teeth that touch, begin flossing them daily.
- Bring your child to the dentist two times a year.
- If you put your baby to bed with a bottle, fill it with water only. Milk, formula, juices, soda and breast milk all have sugar in them that can cause cavities.
- Plan to get 3-4 fluoride varnish treatments for your baby from when the first tooth erupts to age 7, because even baby teeth can get painful cavities.
