It’s never too soon to start!

Even before the first tooth appears a baby’s mouth is exposed to bacteria – developing from food sugars and starches, from airborne particles or by direct transfer from mother to baby. These bacteria, if left unchecked, can affect the quality of erupting milk teeth.

Although nature provides its own protective mechanism – saliva –, until around the age of 1 year to 18 months the efficiency of a baby’s saliva is reduced. In fact, a child’s immune response, to which saliva is directly related, does not reach its full strength until around the age of five.

To help safeguard future teeth, therefore, dentists recommend gentle cleaning of your baby’s tender gums and tiny teeth as soon as the first tooth starts to appear.