Parents looking to book a children's dentistry appointment should start cleaning their offspring's gums before the emergence of teeth.

Potentially harmful bacteria found in the mouths of infants could lead to decay prior to the growth of milk teeth, which is why an effective routine is vital from an early age.

This view is echoed by the Daily Mail, which recently reported a study conducted by the University of Illinois that discovered oral health issues could develop in babies.

Leading the research, Professor Kelly Swanson revealed that scientists had found that a "window of infectivity" occurred at a much younger age than originally thought.

"Like many other diseases, dental cavities are a result of many bacteria in a community, not just one pathogen," he added.

The British Dental Health Foundation advises parents to introduce their child to the sights and sounds of a surgery from an early age to remove any worries they may have.