Baby’s First Dental Visit and More

Tethered oral tissues (TOTs) are soft tissues in the mouth that could impact how your babies use their mouth. Most common TOTs that you may have heard are lip and tongue ties, although there could also be some around the cheeks. The presence of these TOTs (or frenulum) do not necessarily mean that they are tied. A true tie is defined as the TOTs leading to limited function, be it speech, feeding or breathing.

We see lip and tongue frenulum that are obvious but cause no functional issues with feeding and speech. On the other hand, there are sometimes hidden ties that do cause functional issues. That’s why we work collaboratively with lactation consultants and speech therapists/pathologists to accurately diagnose the functional effects of the frenulum that need help and treat them accordingly.

At Glow, Dr. Fran uses a soft tissue diode laser to help babies and children with lip, tongue and cheek ties. The use of the laser allows us to perform frenectomies (revision of TOTs) with minimal discomfort and very little bleeding.

Primary (baby) teeth serve many important functions for your child, like chewing, speaking, smiling and maintaining space for the permanent (adult) teeth to arrive. Taking good care of the baby teeth means that they will be lost in a timely manner to allow for the proper eruption of healthy permanent teeth.

First teeth start erupting as early as three months or as late as 12 months old. The two lower front teeth are usually the first to erupt, followed by the upper ones. Teething can be uncomfortable (for everyone) and is often accompanied by drooling and rosy cheeks. Dr. Fran recommends using chilled teething chews and fruit or vegetable sticks for teething-related discomfort. Brushing the newly erupted teeth will keep the area clean to lessen the discomfort and stimulate the teeth to come in sooner.

Dr. Fran recommends wiping your baby’s gum with a clean cloth after every feeding session, even before any teeth have appeared. This will help your little ones get used to having their mouth cleaned and to establish healthy oral flora (group of oral bacteria). As soon as the first teeth are in, brushing should start with a soft nylon bristle toothbrush intended for young children. At this age, it is very normal for babies to chew on the brushes. If you see any frayed bristles, it’s time for a new toothbrush, which will likely happen often at this age. Fluoridated toothpaste should be used, but just a smear equivalent to the size of a rice grain.

Developing a proper brushing position for your little one is also important at this age. We recommend that babies be laying down on a safe surface, whether a soft bath mat or a bed. A caregiver brushing the baby’s teeth should approach from the top of the baby’s head, just like at the dentist. Make sure to push the lips and cheeks out of the way for good visualization. What you can’t see very well, you can’t brush very well.

Fluoride makes the tooth structure hard and more resistant to cavities. In many cities and countries, fluoride is added to drinking water but this is not the case in the Lower Mainland. In small children, ingesting fluoride can lead to some side effects, so it’s essential to control the right amount of fluoride-containing toothpaste. Your child can get fluoride from three different sources: toothpaste, fluoride varnish applied at the dentist, or fluoride supplements in a chewable tablet or drop form. Professionally applied, high-concentration fluoride can help protect your child’s teeth for maximum protection. For infants and children who are unable to spit, use a smear (rice-grain size) of fluoridated toothpaste. Once they’re able to rinse and spit (around age three), you may start using a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste. Any toothpaste with fluoride listed in the ingredient list can be used regardless of the brand. If you are not comfortable with using fluoride, ask Dr. Fran about alternative ingredients to protect your child’s teeth against cavities such as Xylitol and MI paste.