About Care of Baby’s Teeth
There are some frequently asked questions by mothers, regarding care of their baby’s teeth such as :-
When should a dentist be consulted for the first time?
When a baby is about six months old. That is the age when the lower incisors start appearing in the mouth.
When do a Baby’s teeth start appearing?
A baby starts teething at about six months of age and this continues till all 20 milk are teeth have emerged by around two and a half years of age. In case of any delay in teething, the dentist may be consulted.
Is teething painful?
Most children do suffer from pain during teething. Gels like Gelora/Mucopain may be applied gently with the finger on the painful portion of the gums where a tooth is likely to erupt. Since teething pains vary, it is best to check up with your dentist.
Can thumb sucking or dummy sucking affect teeth?
The teeth alignment can be affected and correction measures may be required.
What about the baby’s diet?
If breast-feeding, try to keep to routine feeds. If not, then ensure that any food or drink that contain sugar are given only along with the feed. After every feed the baby’s teeth should be cleaned with a wet cotton swab, to ensure that nothing remains sticking on the teeth, otherwise harmful bacteria and acids formed after meals can attack the newly formed teeth and cause decay.
When should one start cleaning the baby’s teeth ?
Cleaning the teeth must begin when the baby first starts teething. Till about the age of 6 babies need help as they cannot clean their teeth effectively.
How does one clean a baby’s teeth?
At first position yourself behind the baby, and rest its with one hand. Use a small, soft nylon bristle brush with a small amount of toothpaste and gently massage around the teeth and gums. This technique should be carried on till the child can manage by itself.
Keep your child’s teeth healthy by-
- avoiding constant snacking;
- ensuring that teeth and gums are thoroughly cleaned at least once a day;
- use fluoride toothpaste as it helps to strengthen the teeth and protects them from decay .
- Visit your dentist regularly
Dental Care for Children
Milk teeth or baby teeth also known as deciduous teeth are essential for the good growth and development of the child. Baby teeth enable the child to eat well and s[peak clearly. They also have the important function of guiding the growth of the permanent teeth.
- The first baby or milk teeth to appear are the lower front teeth or central incisors, around the age of 6-8 months. By the time the child is two years old, nearly all the full set of 20 baby teeth would be present in the mouth.
- The baby teeth will not begin to fall till the age of 5-7 years.
- Care for baby teeth should begin as soon as they appear. This care will involve cleaning of the teeth after meals. Babies should not be left to fall asleep with a bottle of milk or juice in their mouth as this can lead to rampant decay known as “baby bottle decay”
- After the feed, the mother or attendant should clean the baby’s teeth with a wet cotton swab so that no food /milk keeps sticking to the teeth. This can be done even after the baby has gone to sleep. This will help in preventing the decaying of teeth.
- By the time the children are about two years old they can be taken for a simple check-up to make sure that the teeth are growing well. Dental care is best introduced when there is no pain. The first visit to the dentist should be like a visit to a new friend
- Brushing of teeth should be started at about 2 years of age. Initially, the mother should brush the baby’s teeth till the child learns to hold the brush and brush the teeth independently.
- Pre-school children can develop tooth decay. However, care has to be taken to keep the baby teeth until the permanent teeth are ready to grow which can be as late as 11 or 12 years.
- If any child’s teeth are prone to decay, dentists can apply fluoride to make the teeth stronger to prevent decay and place sealants to protect the chewing surfaces of the teeth from decay.
- If the children develop habits like thumb sucking, the dentist can help the stop – often with some gentle persuasion.
- It is especially useful to take children to the dentist at ages seven, nine and eleven for an assessment of the growth of the growth of the teeth. At these ages, problems of crowding or development of the jaws can be anticipated, and if need be, treated early to avoid more complications later.
- All throughout childhood, the importance of daily hygiene and choice of healthy food should be inculcated in the child, so that good habits can be formed and kept for life.
