How to clean a child's teeth?

Q: My 11 month old has 5 teeth now. Should I clean them with cotton and how often or start using a soft tooth brush and when is the first visit to dentist for my child? My gums bleed when I brush, so whats causing that? Should I visit a dentist?

A:For your 11 months old child, please ensure that the teeth are kept clean and the child is not allowed to sleep with a milk bottle. The cleaning of the teeth could be done with cotton or gauze - plain or dipped in very very dilute hydrogen peroxide twice daily. The child may first visit the dentist at the age of 2 years.Regarding your bleeding gums you probably need treatment of your gums which could involve simple scaling or more extensive procedures like gum surgery which may be decided after examination. Please get in touch with an experienced dentist immediately.