Taking care of your child's primary teeth is as important as caring for your own permanent teeth. Baby teeth are crucial to speech development, and they make room in the jaw for the developing permanent teeth.
You should start keeping your child's mouth clean as soon as teeth begin to erupt. Use a soft washcloth and water to gently wipe away milk or food. As more teeth appear, brush the teeth twice a day with a toothbrush made for infants. Make toothbrushing part of your daily routine, and start flossing as soon as there are two teeth that are close enough that they touch each other.
Most children will require assistance in brushing and flossing until they reach the age of 6 or 7. At that time, you'll be able to turn over the toothbrush and show them how to clean all surfaces of the teeth. You'll find a helpful video demonstration at the American Dental Association's web site.
