Quick Answer
Start brushing as soon as your baby's first tooth appears. Brush twice a day with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. An adult should do the brushing.
Arrange your baby's first dental visit within 6 months of the first tooth appearing, and no later than their first birthday. Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle or allowing them to sip milk or sweet drinks continuously.
Why Do Baby Teeth Need Care?
Baby teeth help with eating, speech development, and holding space for adult teeth. They can develop cavities even though they will eventually fall out. Tooth decay can cause pain, infection, and difficulty eating or sleeping.
Starting a simple routine early protects those first teeth and helps your baby become familiar with brushing.
What Can I Do Before the First Tooth Appears?
You can gently wipe your baby's gums with a clean, soft, damp cloth. This can help you establish a routine, but do not scrub or force your baby to tolerate it.
Once a tooth appears, switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush. Gum wiping or a silicone finger cleaner alone is not a substitute for brushing erupted teeth with fluoride toothpaste.
How Do I Brush My Baby's Teeth?
- Choose a comfortable position. Sit your baby securely on your lap with their head supported so you can see inside their mouth.
- Use a small, soft toothbrush. Choose a brush intended for babies with a small head.
- Add a rice-sized smear. Use fluoride toothpaste, not a full strip along the brush.
- Brush gently. Clean the front, back, and chewing surfaces of every tooth and along the gumline, using small movements without pressing hard.
- Repeat morning and night. Make bedtime brushing part of a predictable routine, ideally after the final milk feed.
As more teeth arrive, work toward brushing for about 2 minutes. With only one or two teeth, focus on cleaning each surface thoroughly and gently rather than stretching out a struggle to meet a timer.
Babies cannot reliably spit. Use only the tiny smear recommended for their age, and do not ask them to rinse with a mouthful of water. Keep toothpaste out of reach and apply it yourself.
How Much Fluoride Toothpaste Should I Use?
For children younger than 3 years, use a smear about the size of a grain of rice. From age 3 to 6 years, a pea-sized amount is generally recommended, with adult supervision and encouragement to spit.
Fluoride helps protect teeth against decay. Fluoride-free training toothpaste does not provide the same cavity protection. Choose an age-appropriate fluoride toothpaste and ask your dentist about the recommended fluoride concentration where you live.
Do not start fluoride supplements yourself. A dentist or healthcare professional should assess your child's drinking-water supply, other fluoride exposure, and cavity risk first.
What If My Baby Resists Brushing?
Keep the routine calm and predictable. Try a short song, a mirror, or letting your baby hold a second toothbrush while you clean their teeth. Allowing them to explore a brush is useful, but they still need an adult to do the actual brushing.
If they become very upset, pause, help them settle, and try again. Avoid pushing the brush deep into the mouth or using force that could injure the gums. Ask your dentist for practical positioning advice if brushing remains difficult.
Replace the toothbrush when its bristles are worn or frayed, usually around every 3 to 4 months or sooner if needed. Rinse it after use, let it air-dry, and do not share it.
How Can Feeding Habits Protect Teeth?
- Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, or juice, and never prop a bottle.
- Avoid prolonged sipping from bottles or cups throughout the day. As meals develop, establish regular feeding times rather than constant exposure.
- Do not add sugar, syrup, or cereal to a bottle, or dip a pacifier in sweet substances. Never give honey before 12 months.
- Avoid juice before 12 months unless a healthcare professional recommends it for a specific reason. Choose whole fruit in a safe texture instead.
- Limit added sugars and frequent sweet snacks as your baby starts eating family foods.
- Begin offering drinks in a cup when developmentally ready and work toward phasing out bottles around 12 to 18 months.
Continue age-appropriate breastfeeding or formula feeding. Breastfeeding does not need to stop when teeth appear. Once teeth erupt, discuss oral care and frequent overnight feeding with your dentist, especially if your child has other cavity risk factors. If your baby still needs night feeds, ask for a practical care plan rather than skipping needed feeds.
When Should My Baby See a Dentist?
Book the first visit within 6 months of the first tooth appearing, and no later than age 1. Do not wait for all the teeth to come through or for a problem to develop.
The dentist can check the teeth and gums, discuss brushing and feeding, assess cavity risk, and advise whether fluoride varnish is appropriate. They can also tell you when to start flossing, generally when teeth touch and a toothbrush cannot clean between them.
If no tooth has appeared by the first birthday, keep the planned dental visit. Tooth eruption varies, and the dentist can assess your baby's development.
What Parents Can Try
- Keep the toothbrush and toothpaste together where an adult can easily reach them but your baby cannot.
- Add brushing to the morning and bedtime routines from the first tooth.
- Lift the lip occasionally to look for changes, without relying on a home check to replace dental visits.
- Give caregivers the same brushing and feeding instructions.
- Make the first dental appointment early rather than waiting for pain or visible decay.
When Should I Seek Help?
Contact a dentist promptly for chalky white patches, brown or dark spots, a chipped tooth, persistent gum bleeding, or signs of mouth pain. Changes may need assessment even if your baby seems comfortable.
Seek urgent dental or medical advice for facial swelling, fever with mouth swelling, or difficulty eating and drinking. Breathing or swallowing difficulty requires emergency care. If a baby tooth is knocked out, do not put it back into the socket; seek dental advice promptly.
Teething can cause tender gums and drooling, but a significant fever, marked lethargy, or poor feeding should not be dismissed as teething. A baby younger than 3 months with a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher needs immediate medical assessment.
Key Takeaway
Brush from the first tooth, twice daily, using a soft brush and a rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste. Build feeding habits that reduce prolonged exposure to milk and sugar, and arrange a dental visit by the first birthday. Small, consistent habits protect baby teeth long before a full smile appears.
Parents Also Ask
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have concerns about your baby's health, consult your GP or paediatrician promptly.