Dental care can start before your baby’s first tooth appears. – there are some different ways in which you can look after your baby’s teeth, gums and mouth from an early age. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some ways in which you can look after your baby’s first teeth. From soothing teething discomfort through to visiting your dentist Leamington Spa based to support you, start early and it will help to instill a lifelong interest for your child in their oral health.

How To Soothe Teething Discomfort

A teething baby tends to be an unhappy baby. They can be more irritable, have disrupted sleep and have a temperature when teething, which means that you might find it harder to get them settled and this can cause sleeping disruption for the whole family. There are some ways in which you can soothe and ease teething discomfort for your baby, which can include:

• Use a cold, wet flannel – using a clean flannel, submerge it in cold water and wring it out until it is damp, rather than wet. Fold it until it is smaller in size and give it to your baby to chew on, as this can help relieve some of the pressure in their gums and soothe the sensation of teething. You should never give your baby a flannel unsupervised and, instead, you could use it for some quiet bonding time.
• Wipe drool and dribble away – when babies are teething, they naturally produce more saliva as the body looks to soothe the affected area. But, excessive drool and dribble can be irritating on your baby’s skin and can cause rashes and dry areas. Try to gently wipe and remove dribble from your baby’s mouth regularly to prevent further discomfort.
• Give plenty of attention – when babies are teething, they will likely feel very unsettled and grouchy. Take this as an opportunity to simply spend time giving your baby plenty of love and attention to make them feel better. It could be that you have a bit more quiet and downtime when teething so that you can both get plenty of rest and comfort.

Taking Your Baby To The Dentist

As soon as you notice your baby getting their first tooth, you should look to make them an appointment to visit your nearest family-friendly dentist in Solihull. Not only will regular visits to the dentist help your baby get used to going, but your dentist can also check to make sure that your baby’s teeth are developing as they should be, as well as give you advice on how to take care of your little one’s teeth as they grow.

This is a really important part of visiting the dentist, as they will pick up on things that you wouldn’t necessarily know about or notice, which helps to protect their oral health, identify any issues (e.g. misalignment that could impact their speech as they grow) and overall support you as a parent to look after their teeth, mouth and gums. A lot of dental practices, if you are already a patient, will provide free or heavily discounted treatments for babies and young children.