Infant Oral Hygiene???

Ha J.,

I just asked my dr. about this yesterday. Although she's a family dr. not a pediatrician.

I'm nursing; at my WIC appt. the woman told me to wipe out the baby's mouth after he eats (my son is 1 month on Friday). She said w/formula fed baby's it's necessary but that I could do it antways.

So I asked the dr. cause no one had mentioned that before. The dr. said the woman probably said that because: baby's can get "YEAST INFECTIONS" (can u believe that-I couldn't) in the mouth. And the WIC lady probably thinks by wiping out the mouth it'd be easier to tell if the white things on the tongue are from food or the infection.

Don't know if that helps but I thought it applied to the request. Again though my dr. didn't say it was necessary to wipe out his mouth. I do remember these finger toothbrushes for babies from my first son. Maybe use one of those.
Have fun with your baby!

I have a 14 month old boy & when he was about 5 months old he had thrush. I thought it was formula on his tounge or something because it was just on his tounge. It just got worse and I had to use 2 different medications for him but it lasted a good month & trying to give an infant medication 2 or 3x's a day is not very fun. I would get your baby checked by the doctor. Better to be safe then sorry.

K.

I always used either a washcloth or one of the little fingertip brushes with my kids. It made the transition to a toothbrush (with me brushing) and then teaching them to bruch so easy. They were used to the routine since we'd done it forever so neither child ever resisted brushing their teeth. (Both, ages 3 and 4, now even floss thanks to the dental hygienist teaching them that!)

My mom says she used to take a wet washcloth and run it over our gums (and tongues?)to clean our mouths. She also had me do that to my 2 kids. I would think the white on her tongue is just milk...?(formula or breastmilk, whichever you do)

We used a wet washcloth to clean my sons gums and tongue. He also had a little white area on it. My Dr said not to worry, just food/formula related. If "washing" her tongue doesn't help I would talk to your Dr.

Good Luck!

I just read an article in a parenting magazine regarding infant/child oral health. It was recommended that, beginning at 6 months the gums be wiped after meals.