The Gift of Healthy Teeth for Babies... 1st Year & Toddlers

If you are a parent with a baby who has a new tooth, that tooth will be infected with the same bacteria that live on your teeth: either healthy or cavity-forming ones.

First teeth often erupt before the 1st birthday. If friendly germs are first to reach a new tooth they will take over and live there. (This is called colonizing the tooth). When friendly germs grow on new teeth, the child’s chance of future cavities can be reduced by 80%.

Eating Xylitol will help healthy germs to grow on your teeth, and ultimately those healthy germs will be passed onto your baby.

Just around age one to two is when molars begin to erupt. Molars tend to have crevices that will be perfect places for cavity causing bacteria to form. Also it is sometimes difficult to properly clean your baby’s teeth. It is especially important to make sure your baby is protected with the healthy bacteria before these molars begin to erupt.

Cleaning baby teeth

Keeping new teeth clean is important because new teeth are soft and easily damaged by acids.

For babies, toothpaste is not necessary. In fact, many children’s toothpastes are dangerous because they contain sugar or sorbitol. Try a soft toothbrush dipped in a solution made from an individual packet of granular Xylitol dissolved in warm water. Be sure baby has their own toothbrush, and disinfect it regularly.

Use baby wipes containing Xylitol and there are also teething gels available that contain Xylitol.

The Gift of Healthy Teeth for ... Toddlers

Toddlers are very busy little people, wanting to do more things on their own. They love to learn at this stage and now is the most important time to establish a regular dental care routine.

Encourage your toddler to brush their teeth on a regular basis. Begin to teach them to brush especially before bedtime and make this part of their regular bedtime routine. Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Use a basic fluoride toothpaste without added tartar control, whiteners, mouthwashes, etc. Teach your toddler how to brush and spit properly.

This is also a great time to introduce Xylitol gum or mints. Toddlers love candy and Xylitol products are a healthy substitute that will help protect and strengthen their teeth.

You may think that juice is healthy for a child, but juice can damage teeth. It is always a bad choice to put acidic drinks in a sippy cup since the prolonged acidity on the teeth will cause a very damaging form of tooth decay. Most juices are acidic and will pull minerals out of teeth and soften them. Kool-Aid, soda and fruit punch are also very acidic.

At this stage your toddler is still napping regularly and may be prone to ear infections and frequent colds picked up at daycare. This may cause your toddler to breath through their mouths as they nap and cause their mouth to become dry and more prone to cavities without the natural protection of saliva. Encourage your toddler to eat Xylitol gum or have a Xylitol sweetened drink before nap time. Xylitol research has shown that ear infections can be reduced by up to 40 percent with regular use.