A Healthy Mouth

for Your Baby

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

A Healthy Mouth 

for Your Baby

Healthy teeth are important—even baby teeth. 

Children need healthy teeth to help them chew 

and to speak clearly. And baby teeth hold space 

for adult teeth. This booklet can help you keep your 

baby’s mouth healthy and give him a healthy start!

1. Protect your baby’s teeth with fluoride.

2. Check and clean your baby’s teeth.

3. Feed your baby healthy food. 

4. Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle. 

5. Take your child to the dentist by age 1.
“When do you have 

to start taking care 

of a baby’s teeth?”

Hope and her sister Mary were watching Mary’s 

children play. “What are you doing?” asked Hope.

“I’m cleaning my baby’s teeth,” said Mary. 

“But your baby hardly has any teeth!” said Hope.

“Yes, but the dentist said there are things I can do 

to keep my baby from getting cavities,” said Mary. 

“But don’t baby teeth just fall out?” asked Hope.

 “Yes, but before they fall out baby teeth can 

decay and cause pain for the baby. And baby 

teeth are important—they hold space for adult 

teeth,” said Mary.
“The dentist said to 

clean my baby’s teeth as 

soon as they come in.”

“What else did the dentist say?” asked Hope. 

“She told me that fluoride protects teeth. She also 

said to feed my baby healthy foods and not to put 

my baby to bed with a bottle,” said Mary. 

“When do you have to start taking care of a baby’s 

teeth?” asked Hope. 

“As soon as they come in. Teeth can start to decay 

as soon as they appear in the mouth,” said Mary. 

“I’ll have to start thinking of those things soon!” 

said Hope. 
1 Protect your Baby’s I Teeth with Fluoride

Fluoride (said like floor-eyed) protects teeth from 

tooth decay. It can even heal early decay. 

Fluoride is in the drinking water of many 

communities. 

Ask a health care provider if your water has fluoride 

in it. If it doesn’t, ask about other kinds of fluoride 

(such as fluoride varnish or drops) that can help 

keep your baby’s teeth healthy. 

“Does my water 

have fluoride in it?” 
2 Check and Clean I Your Baby’s Teeth

Check your baby’s teeth

Healthy teeth should be all 

one color. If you see spots 

or stains on the teeth, take 

your baby to a dentist. 

Clean your baby’s teeth

Clean them as soon as they 

come in with a clean, soft 

cloth or a baby’s toothbrush. 

Clean the teeth at least 

once a day. It’s best to clean 

them right before bedtime. 

At about age 2 (or sooner if a 

health care provider suggests it) you 

should start putting fluoride toothpaste on 

your child’s toothbrush. Use only a pea-sized 

drop of toothpaste about as big as this – 

Young children cannot get their teeth clean by 

themselves. Until they are 7 or 8 years old, you 

will need to help them brush. Try brushing their 

teeth first and then letting them finish. 
3I Feed Your Baby

Healthy Food

• Choose foods without a lot of sugar in them. 

• Give your child fruits and vegetables for snacks.

• Save cookies and other treats for special occasions.
4 Don’t Put Your Baby I to Bed with a Bottle

Milk, formula, juice, and other drinks such as soda all 

have sugar in them. If sugary liquids stay on 

your baby’s teeth too long, it can lead to tooth decay. 

(And decayed teeth can cause pain for your baby.)

What’s one of the most important things you can 

do to keep your baby from getting cavities?

Avoid putting him to bed with a 

bottle--at night or at nap time. 

(If you do put your baby to 

bed with a bottle, fill it only 

with water.) 

Here are some other things 

you can do:

• Between feedings, don’t give 

your baby a bottle or sippy 

cup filled with sweet drinks to 

carry around.

• Near his first birthday, teach 

your child to drink from an 

open cup.

• If your baby uses a pacifier, 

don’t dip it in anything sweet 

like sugar or honey.
5 Take Your Child I to the Dentist

Your child should have a dental visit by his 

first birthday. At this visit, the dentist will:

• Check your child’s teeth.

• Show you the best way to clean your 

child’s teeth.

• Talk to you about other things such as a 

healthy diet and fluoride that can keep 

your child’s mouth healthy. 
The following 

oral health care 

resources are available 

in your community: 
Tell us what you think!

Please complete and mail back this postage-paid card. 

Thank you!

Overall, the booklet was: 

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Please tell us what you like about the booklet:

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not answered in the booklet? q Yes q No

If yes, what questions?

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Would you recommend the booklet to a friend or family 

member? q Yes q No

Where did you get this booklet? 

__________________________

Which best describes you?

q Parent of a young child

q Grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other family member

q Community Health Representative

q Early childhood program staff

q Dentist or dental hygienist

q Physician or nurse

q Other (please specify: _______________________)
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEA

A HEALTHY MOUTH FOR YOUR PUBLIC INFORMATION AND LIA31 CENTER DR RM 5B55 MSC 2BETHESDA, MD 20814-9692

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For additional copies of this booklet contact:

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL 

AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH

National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse

1 NOHIC Way

Bethesda, MD 20892-3500

1-866-232-4528

http://www.nidcr.nih.gov

This publication is not copyrighted. 

Make as many photocopies as you need.

NIH Publication No. 13-7340 

 April 2013 

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®