Good oral hygiene is important not only for adults but also for children. Even children as young as 9 months. I know that typically parents do not see the importance in caring for baby teeth that are going to fall out regardless of the level of care they are provided, but baby teeth are incredibly important to the development of their permanent teeth. If baby teeth are lost
prematurely more space is created for the permanent teeth when they come in because the baby teeth reserve specific amounts of space in the jaw for permanent teeth. Therefore, it is possible or even likely that the permanent teeth will develop into this extra space and cause crowding.
The first set of teeth will appear around the 6-month mark for most babies. The American Dental Association recommends when they have their first birthday you should set an appointment with a dentist for a check up. The dentist will look for any possible problems, cavities, and will reassure you of the general good health of the child. Keep in mind parents that decay can begin as soon as the first tooth appears. For children less than 3 years, you should brush their teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste using the size of a grain of rice. For ages 3 to 6 years you should use the same fluoride toothpaste but with a pea sized amount. Reminding the child to try not to swallow the toothpaste. Once two teeth are in that touching then the child should start flossing daily.