Seeing your baby’s first tooth is a thrilling experience! Most babies obtain their first (main) teeth at six months, though small teeth can appear as early as three months. Did you know that your baby’s teeth can develop cavities? Because baby teeth will eventually fall out, taking proper care of them may not seem necessary. However, it turns out that your child’s primary teeth are critical to the health of their permanent teeth—and the foundation for lifelong health.
These are just a few reasons you should take particular care of your child’s primary teeth. Continue reading to find out more.
What causes cavities in baby teeth?
Cavities can form when normal germs in our mouths damage the shining surface of our teeth, known as the enamel. The bacteria feed on sugary molecules left over from our food and drinks. In the process, they produce acids that damage tooth enamel, allowing tooth disease to begin.
Natural sugars in breast milk and formula can also initiate the degradation process. Even though primary teeth begin to fall out at the age of six, what happens before that will have an impact on your child’s oral health in the long run. According to research, a child’s food and dental hygiene habits during his or her infancy and toddler years lessen the chance of tooth decay as the child grows older.
Why is it critical to care for an infant’s teeth?
Despite significant progress in reducing tooth decay, it remains the most frequent chronic health condition in children. In fact, 23% of all children will have cavities by the age of five. Consider the following:
Decayed baby teeth may require extraction by a dentist, which can be painful and frightening for your child (as well as expensive for your family).
Missing baby teeth develop gaps, leading neighboring teeth to shift. This can prevent your child’s permanent teeth from coming in properly, which may necessitate braces later on.
Children (and adults) require strong teeth in order to speak correctly and chew their food fully, which is the first stage of healthy digestion. A bright, brilliant smile instills confidence in a child, which is vital for making friends, getting along in school, and enjoying life.
9 simple steps to keep your child’s teeth healthy
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the following actions for preventing cavities in newborns and early children.
There will be no bottles in bed. Using a bottle to put your child to sleep allows the sugars included in the formula and breast milk to sit on their teeth, creating the foundation for tooth rot. Early cavities are often referred to as “baby bottle tooth decay” by doctors and dentists.
Use caution when handling pacifiers, utensils, and cups. Bacteria that cause tooth decay can easily spread from mouth to mouth. For example, you should not put a pacifier in your mouth before giving it to your child, nor should you taste your baby’s food before delivering them a spoonful from the same spoon.
After each meal, brush the children’s teeth. It is critical to establish a healthy routine for your infant even before his or her first teeth appear. After each meal, wipe the gums with a clean, wet towel or gauze pad. When baby teeth appear, use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a smear of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). Create a healthy regimen of cleaning your child’s teeth twice daily for two minutes each. Consider establishing a bedtime routine for your child that includes cleaning their teeth after their final feed, reading them a book, and putting them to bed at a normal bedtime—brush, book, bed.
Around your child’s first birthday, introduce a cup. Teaching children to drink from a cup can help them avoid dental decay. Around 12 months, start transitioning your child from the breast or bottle to a lidded cup. Milk, breast milk, and formula can be given at mealtimes, but in between, fill your child’s cup with simple water.
To comfort your child, avoid using cups or bottles. When babies cry, it’s tempting to give them some formula or milk, but this exposes their teeth to sugars for extended periods of time. To relax your infant, use a standard pacifier, but do not dip it in honey or any other sweetener.
Avoid sugary drinks. Fruit juice, soda, and sweetened drinks are bad for your child’s teeth. In fact, the AAP does not suggest juice for babies under the age of one year. After that, limit your juice consumption to 4 ounces per day and combine them with water (half-water, half-juice is ideal). See also “Recommended Drinks for Children Aged 5 and Under.”
Sticky fruits and snacks should be avoided. Some foods can cling to a child’s teeth, providing sugar for nasty bacteria to feast on. Raisins and other dried fruits, gummy sweets, taffy, fruit roll-ups, and snack bars containing honey or molasses are examples of sticky foods that encourage tooth disease. Limit these foods in your child’s diet, and have them brush or rinse their teeth after eating them.
Make water the family’s preferred beverage. The healthiest drink for your child’s teeth is regular tap water, which usually contains fluoride to improve tooth enamel. Drinking plenty of water cleans your child’s mouth and aids in the maintenance of saliva flow, which washes away decay-causing bacteria.
Find out more about fluoride. Decades of research have proved that fluoride is a super-hero in the fight against tooth decay. The majority of children obtain the fluoride they require via tap water and fluoride-containing toothpaste. Your physician or dentist may also apply a fluoride varnish to your child’s teeth, which is a beneficial step that can be repeated 2-4 times a year as your child grows.
Do you know if your local water source contains fluoride? If you’re concerned about fluoride safety, read what a mom dentist has to say.
Baby teeth
When is the best time to take my child to the dentist?
When your child’s first tooth shows, it’s time to make their first dental appointment. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about pediatric dental care and what you’ll need to do as they grow.
Over time, your dentist may assist you in developing a healthy family habit, explaining anything from teaching young children to brush and floss to fitting young athletes with the proper mouthguard.
The role of your pediatrician
Pediatricians get the opportunity to inspect babies’ mouths because they see the doctor multiple times before their first birthday. Because it might be difficult to detect warning signs in an infant’s teeth, your pediatrician’s professional eye comes in handy.
As your child grows, your pediatrician will provide recommendations and suggestions to supplement the excellent care provided by your family dentist. In collaboration with your child’s dentist, they can also apply fluoride varnish to your child’s teeth. Furthermore, pediatricians can assist parents in learning more about the unique risks that make particular children more cavity-prone. Preemies, for example, frequently have poorer tooth enamel than full-term newborns. Certain medical problems and medications might cause saliva flow to decrease, making brushing and flossing even more vital.
Making dental hygiene a family priority
Children absorb information from the adults around them. As a result, parents and caregivers should take good care of their own teeth. “Bad teeth don’t necessarily run in the family,” says one dentist, “but bad dental habits do.”
Allowing children to observe you brush and floss sets a good example. Explain that we do this twice a day, morning and night, even when we’re not at home. Put dentist appointments on the family calendar to show children that frequent checks are important. Some youngsters benefit from visiting the dentist more than once every six months to help them avoid cavities or keep cavities that have already formed from worsening.
Make your child’s routine more enjoyable to encourage excellent behavior. Toddlers and preschoolers may enjoy brushing their teeth to music or keeping track of their progress on a tooth care calendar. You may also download and share free coloring and craft sheets from the American Dental Association.
Remember
A lifetime of good oral health begins with healthy baby teeth. Teeth are essential in allowing us to communicate effectively, smile boldly, and chew our food fully, which nourishes our bodies and promotes general health.
Setting a good example aids in the prevention of dental decay both now and in the future.
Your pediatrician, together with your family dentist, is an important part of caring for your child’s mouth and teeth.
Read more on personal hygiene in kids
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