Infants
One of the most important things you can learn is how keep your baby safe while they sleep. Use the resources below to learn more.
Having a baby in your family means you should remember some important things when staying prepared for emergencies. Learn more about what you can do to help your whole family stay safe and healthy on our emergency preparedness for families page.
The resources below can help you know how you can be prepared to take care of your baby in case of an emergency.
Continue taking care of your mouth after your baby is born. Most babies get the bacteria that cause cavities from their mom or dad. Keeping your mouth clean will lower the chances of spreading these bacteria. Do not share utensils, cups or toothbrushes with your child. Also, do not lick a pacifier that falls on the ground and then give it to your child as this will spread the bacteria that causes cavities from you to your child. Continue getting oral health care after pregnancy by going to the dentist, practice good oral hygiene, and eat healthy foods.
It is also important to take care of your baby’s oral health. Some important ways to take care of your baby’s teeth are to clean their mouth twice a day, breastfeed for the first 6 months and then feed them healthy foods and go to the dentist by age one.
Before your baby has teeth take a soft, damp, clean cloth and gently wipe and stimulate the gums. This will remove bacteria from the mouth and stimulate blood flow. After the first tooth comes in brush the tooth with a soft child size toothbrush and a smear (half a pea size) of fluoride toothpaste. Ask your pediatric health professional to check your baby’s mouth starting at age 6 months, for a flouride supplement prescription, and to provide a referral to a dentist if needed.
Infants should never be put to bed with a bottle. The sugar in formula and breast milk can still cause cavities. Going to bed with a bottle can cause many severe cavities in the mouth often referred to as baby bottle tooth decay. The only liquids that should be in the bottle include formula, breast milk and water. Juice, soda, Tang and Kool-Aid should never be put in a baby’s bottle or into a sippy cup.
For more information, visit the American Dental Association's Baby teeth page.
Use the links below to find resources for your baby and family.
- Baby Your Baby has a list of services available throughout Utah.
- Utah WIC provides nutrition and breastfeeding services and supplemental foods to pregnant women, mothers, infants, and children who qualify.
- Our Maternal resource guide includes resources across Utah that are free, low-cost, or accept Medicaid.
- Utah's 0-8 Care coordination program is a central point of contact for parents with children ages 0 to 8 who are seeking information, resources, and referrals for early childhood services that may be an option for them.
- Learn about infant warning signs. If your baby shows any of these signs, call a doctor and get medical help for them right away. Available in English and Spanish.