NEGAUNEE — Parents always want nothing but the best for their kids, so what’s best for their child’s teeth?

The process of taking care of a child’s mouth begins at birth. In order to maintain good oral health, it is important to wipe off a child’s gums even before the teeth come into the mouth.

“The bacteria is transferred from the caregiver to the infant at an early age,” said RDS and Project Coordinator Rebecca Maino. “Once that bacteria is in the mouth it waits for the teeth to erupt. So if you’re not removing the bacteria off of the gums with a damp washcloth, you’re setting that child up to maybe get tooth decay earlier.”

Establishing consistent and routine teeth cleaning is necessary for a child to be able to keep their baby teeth for as long as they should. Even though the baby teeth are eventually replaced, they still play an important role that has an impact on the child’s future.

“You really want those (baby) teeth in there for the amount of time they’re supposed to be in there so they do reserve that space for the permanent teeth,” continued Maino. “If they’re lost early the children have difficulty speaking, eating, and they can end up with a lot of crowding with their adult teeth and that can cause problems later on in life.”

To find for more information on how to take good care of your child’s teeth click here.