MAM: Babies Need Oral Care Too

By Christine

Proper oral care for babies begins before many people think. With my first daughter we started her oral care well before her first tooth came in.  Truth be told we used a principle we had learned in puppy training classes before she was born- the idea of getting her used to the toothbrush and having us or the doctor or dentist feeling around in her mouth. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD), parents can begin an oral care routine at birth by gently cleaning baby’s gums with a soft cloth and water.  So proper oral care starts before the first tooth appears.

The puppy training inspired philosophy worked well for her and us.  Because we started so early brushing, flossing or even going to the dentist has been relatively easy for her and she is quickly approaching her fourth birthday.  Fast-forward a few years and baby girl # 2 is now 8 months old and the extent of her oral care is the occasional (washed) finger rubbing her gums to see if she has teeth – yet, so she can eat the chunky solid foods she is yearning for.

Thankfully for baby M’s sake I was provided with several products from MAM to try out.  My favorites were the MAM Bite & Brush, MAM Massaging Brush & MAM Training Brush.  Below is a bit more specific information about my favorites.

MAM Bite & Brush

• The teether’s soft and pliable bristles soothe gums and gently cleans baby teeth at the same time
• Extra lightweight design and ring shape make it easy for baby to hold
• Recommended for babies age 3 + months. Suggested retail price: $6.99

MAM Massaging Brush

• Baby’s perfect introduction to the toothbrush!
• Features different surfaces to gently massage little one’s gums
• Eases teething pain and cleans teeth
• Recommended for babies age 2 + months. Suggested retail price: $3.99

MAM Training Brush

• A round head gently fits baby’s mouth
• Super-soft bristles clean teeth and gently remove plaque and bacteria from gums
• An extra-long handle lets parent and baby hold the brush together for guided brushing
• Recommended for babies age 4 + months. Suggested retail price: $5.99

Baby M was initially more interested in the packaging of the products, but once removed she immediately started exploring the textures of the MAM Massaging and Training brushes.  I was able to get them into her mouth for some brushing and she preferred the textured ends of the MAM Massaging Brush on her gums.  Her favorite product by far is the MAM Bite & Brush.  She will hold it with both hands and chew on the formed biting end, and also turn it around to chew on the handle.  All of the products are well made with parents and babies in mind and will be useful as we start to lay the foundation for good oral care.

Fun Facts, Interesting Information and More…

• A full set of baby teeth is 20 teeth (a full set of adult teeth is 32 teeth)
• Teething symptoms can appear 2-3 months before a tooth erupts, so babies can begin teething as early as 3 months old! Symptoms of teething include drooling, fussing, bulging gums, might waking and biting anything they can get in their little mouths
• As soon as baby’s first tooth appears, start brushing baby’s teeth without toothpaste
• Introduce toothpaste to baby at age 2. Remember children are learning how to spit and rinse, so only use a pea-size amount and always use children’s toothpaste
• Children usually have their first full set of baby teeth by age 3

For more information on oral care, please visit www.mambaby.com.

About Christine:

Christine is our in house baby product reviewer. She has two children that are quite adorable, one is 3 1/2 months old and the other is three and in my son’s preschool class. When she’s not taking maternity leave she works at the local children’s hospital