This guest blog post was co-authored by Alice Horowitz and Dushanka V. Kleinman, faculty members at University of Maryland School of Public Health (SPH). This blog post was written for the Children's Dental Health Project blog: TeethMatter and is shared with permission.

There's a lot that parents and caregivers can do to keep a child's teeth healthy at home.

In fact, good oral health starts there by brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, and flossing once a day. Good tooth care combined with regular visits to the dentist can be very helpful in preventing problems.

Every stage of childhood has its own set of recommendations for tooth care.

TeethFirst! has put together a handy guide for parents and caregivers to follow so they will know how to care for a child's teeth starting from birth to over age 8.

At TeethFirst!, we understand that parents and caregivers might be a little unsure about taking their very young child to the dentist for the first time.

To help you feel more comfortable, we made a video to show you that the first dental visit is quick and that the dentist's office is a safe place with friendly people who want your baby to have a healthy smile.

Watch the video to learn more about what to expect at your baby's first visit to the dentist!