Once a mom, it’s such a joy and pleasure to watch your toddler grow. The fondness for the little one grows as he/she keeps growing up. The eye contact your baby makes with you, his constant babbling, his attempts to cuddle up to you – these experiences are incredible.

Baby’s teething are cause of concern for most parents – the right timing of it, the right shape, the number of them – teething along with crawling, and babbling symbolizes the healthy growth and development of the baby. 

On Mother’s day, I intend to share little tips for all those worrying mother’s out there. 

  • Start cleaning your baby's mouth even before her teeth come in. After each feeding wipe the gums with a warm wet wash cloth or a dampened piece of gauge.
  • Make your baby drink water after every meals as most infant foods easily wash off baby's teeth with just a drink of water.
  • Avoid cavities by avoiding bottle feeding. Bottle feeding should not be prolonged for more than a year.
  • Child should be given juices in limited amount as they increase the risk of caries. Give sugary drinks and foods at mealtimes and use juices as a treat.
  • Don't let your baby drink from sippy cup all day long. Too much use of sippy cup can lead to decay on the back of the front teeth if the drinks are sugary.
  • Children's medications can be flavored and sugary and if they stick on the teeth, the chance of cavities increases. Children on medications for chronic conditions such as asthma and heart problems are more prone to caries and so in such cases it's advisable to talk to your dentist about how to keep good oral hygiene and avoid caries.
  • Take good care of teeth as soon as they start erupting. Milk teeth are also very important as these teeth preserve the spacing for the permanent ones and help baby chew and talk. If not cared properly they will affect the permanent teeth.
  • Even though your baby is not using a fluoride toothpaste he should get enough fluoride important for preventing tooth decay from drinking tap water. If your drinking water is not fluoridated ask your doctor about fluoride supplements baby can take once he is 6 months old.
  • Start using non fluoride toothpaste once baby is about 2. At the age of 3 when child is old enough not to swallow the toothpaste introduce the fluoride toothpaste.
  • Stop using the pacifier by age 2 or 3 as the prolonged use can affect how his teeth line up. It can also change the shape of the mouth.

Last and the most important take your child should see a dentist by his first birthday. That will get him into the habit of preventive dental care, remove his fear of dentists (which by the way is funny to start with becomes a niggle once he grows up!), keep in good health and save some money in the long run! Trust me, this visit is going to be one of the better Birthday Gifts you would ever conjure of.

With these little somethings, you can be assured of a relatively healthy baby.

I wish all the moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day. Stay strong, stay loving, stay the Supermom you are!