Mom and Baby: Caring for Teeth
Being pregnant does not weaken teeth by taking the calcium from them. But morning sickness during pregnancy can affect teeth. The stomach acid from vomiting can damage the tooth enamel. That’s why experts recommend not brushing immediately after vomiting. It can damage the surface of the teeth.
Tips for Pregnancy:
- After vomiting, don’t brush. Rinse the mouth with either plain water or water with a teaspoon of baking soda in it.
- If feeling sick and unable to brush, rinse the mouth with water or a mouth rinse with fluoride.
- Brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss before bedtime.
- Eat healthy foods.
- Dental care, including x-rays and local anesthesia, are safe during pregnancy.
More Tips for Tooth Health During Pregnancy (PDF)
Did You Know?
Teeth start to develop for baby between the third and sixth month of pregnancy.
Did you know you can pass tooth decay germs to your babies if you have untreated cavities? This can cause early tooth decay and other health problems for baby.
A healthy pregnancy promotes healthy teeth for baby.
Children need healthy baby teeth for adequate growth and development.
Untreated tooth decay can affect quality of life and school readiness. Pain caused by tooth decay can affect the ability to eat and sleep. This can cause trouble with learning and concentrating while in school and at play.
ToothTalk from an Expert
“Baby teeth are important as kids grow and hit those vital developmental milestones at ages 1, 2 and 3. To meet those milestones, children must have good nutrition and be able to eat, which begins with healthy teeth. Without good dental health, overall good health is compromised. Teeth are not superficial but are directly tied to the body’s health."
—Dr. Jessica Lee, DDS, MPH, PhD
Demeritt Distinguished Professor and Graduate Program Director
Department of Pediatric Dentistry at University of North Carolina School of Dentistry
Experts recommend brushing baby’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears through the gum.
Brush that tooth twice daily with:
- A tiny, rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste
- A small, soft toothbrush
Brush after baby's last feeding before bed and one other time during the day.
It may seem early, but even baby teeth get cavities, and cavities can hurt. Tooth decay can affect a baby’s ability to eat, grow, sleep, talk, learn and smile.
Tips for Holding Baby During Brushing
- Cradle baby in your arm, sitting sideways in your lap. This way you can softly sing a song and talk to baby as you brush.
- Lay baby on a bed or the floor and position yourself at baby’s head, so you can see into the mouth.
- Get help! Ask another adult to join. Sit in chairs facing each other with your knees touching. Hold baby facing you with legs around your waist, then lay baby’s head back into the other adult’s lap. One of you brushes baby’s teeth.
Remember: Keep it positive, even if baby cries. Use a soft, soothing voice and encouraging words. This will help baby develop a healthy habit for a lifetime.
You do not need to rinse your child’s teeth after brushing. When you use the correct amount of toothpaste, any extra left in the mouth helps prevent cavities.
- Ages 3 and younger: Use a smear of toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. Children can swallow any excess toothpaste.
- Ages 3 and older: Use a pea-size amount of toothpaste. Children can spit out any excess toothpaste.
A dental visit by age 1 is vital for a child's healthy smile. It also ensures the child's developmental and growth milestones are on track.
What to Expect at Baby's First Dental Visit
Healthy baby teeth are the first and most important step to a healthy adult mouth.
During these early visits, ask about:
- Teething
- Brushing twice daily
- Introducing solid foods
- Juice, soft drinks and sports drinks
ToothTalk from an Expert
“Early access to oral health care has been shown to dramatically increase oral health in 4- to 5-year-olds as well as reduce the need for extractions and fillings.
"Finding oral health services for your child by age 1 will go a long way toward having a healthy and happy child with a beautiful smile!”
—Dr. Frank Courts, DDS, PhD
Pediatric dentist in private practice in Rocky Mount, NC
Fluoride and Teeth
Yes, safe and healthy amounts of fluoride in tap water helps prevent tooth decay, the No. 1 chronic childhood disease.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), it has been safely used in US water systems since 1945. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it's an inexpensive, easy and healthy choice for teeth.
Fluoride varnish is a scientifically proven, quick, easy and painless procedure. Studies show it helps prevent cavities and even reverses early stages of tooth decay.
Dentists and health care providers paint the varnish on the child's teeth. This happens two to three times a year during well-child visits. It can start with the first tooth.
Learn more about fluoride (CDC)
ToothTalk from an Expert
“The fluoride that dentists put on teeth during regular visits has been a mainstay for the prevention of tooth decay for many years. ...It is so easy and effective that doctors and nurses have started applying fluoride varnish to the teeth of babies during well-child visits–more than a million in North Carolina.
“Many scientific studies have shown fluoride varnish is effective in helping prevent cavities and even reversing early stages of tooth decay, often eliminating the need for fillings.
“Because it’s applied only every three to six months, a very small amount is used. Some of it is incorporated into the teeth to make them stronger. Very little fluoride is swallowed."
—Gary Rozier, DDS
Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Silver diamine fluoride treatment (SDF) is a safe, effective way to stop tooth decay.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has recommended SDF since 2017. It's been in use in Brazil and Japan since the 1970s.
SDF is fast, easy and painless. Dentists paint the SDF liquid on the teeth and allow it to dry. SDF can stain teeth where decay is present. Talk with your dental provider to see if SDF is right for your child.
The Benefits of Silver Diamine Fluoride
- It’s safe. No sedation or hospitalization required.
- It’s cost-effective. Stopping tooth decay with SDF may prevent needing expensive root canals or extractions. SDF is affordable and covered by NC Medicaid.
- It’s painless. No shots, no drilling for fillings, and no digging at sensitive teeth.
- It helps. Stopping tooth decay with SDF may prevent infection and tooth ache pain. Tooth decay hurts, affecting a child’s ability to eat, grow, talk, learn, play, sleep and smile.
ToothTalk from an Expert
"I feel this is a real game-changer. It's another tool in the effective management of tooth decay, along with treatments to repair or restore damaged teeth.
“The upside is this procedure stops tooth decay and may help reduce the need for emergency hospital visits. The downside is the teeth turn black. The No. 1 message when you see black baby teeth is: These parents care about their children’s teeth and want to stop tooth decay.”
—Dr. Tim Wright
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry
Video en español: Fluoruro diamino de plata – FDP (YouTube)
Healthy Snacks for Healthy Teeth
Healthy snacks benefit children’s teeth and health. They help build strong bones and muscles and boost brain development. Smart snack choices for little ones include:
- Cheese
- Raw fruits and vegetables
- Whole grain breads
- Crackers and chips
- Yogurt
- Eggs
Read the label for added sugar. Some apple juice and chocolate milk have as much as five teaspoons of sugar per serving. Check labels for sucrose, glucose and fructose. Also consider how often per day you're offering juice or milk.
Remember, no sugar means no tooth decay. Give children water or plain milk at meal and snack times.
Tip: Replace juice completely with small pieces of fresh fruit such as:
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Pears
- Blueberries
- Peaches
- Melons
- Grapes
Fresh fruit provides vitamin C and fiber, which is good for teeth and the digestive system.
ToothTalk from an Expert
"Advertising leads parents to believe there is no sugar in juices and they are good for children. For instance, an apple juice label may say 100% Natural with No Sugar Added. Don’t believe it. Read the nutrition facts: per serving!"
—Dr. Jim Congleton, DDS MS
Pediatric dentist, North Carolina’s Coastal Pediatric Dentistry, New Bern
Water is healthy and protects teeth from decay.
Many NC public water systems have a safe and healthy amount of fluoride added, as recommended by the CDC. About 88% of North Carolinians using community water systems have access to fluoridated water. Studies show this helps reduce tooth decay by about 25% over a person's lifetime. Learn more about fluoride in water.
Drinking water from the tap helps prevent tooth decay at no added expense. Most bottled water does not have fluoride.
Substitute water for sugar-sweetened beverages to:
- Cut sugar intake that leads to dental problems
- Reduce tooth decay
- Cut empty calories
More than a third of NC children experience tooth decay by the time they start kindergarten.
ToothTalk from an Expert
“The most common chronic disease in preschool children is tooth decay. Our recommendation is to drink more water out of the tap and not the bottle! It’s free, affordable and helps fight tooth decay thanks to fluoride.”
—Gary Rozier, DDS
Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Note: Recommendations specify no water for children younger than 6 months and to limit water up to age 1. Formula and milk are best for the under-1 age group. This means it's even more important to brush with fluoride toothpaste, starting with the first tooth.