Caring for Children's Teeth from Birth

When taking care of a baby, tooth care may be one of the last things on your mind. However, making sure that your baby's teeth are healthy is absolutely essential to their overall health and happiness. Believe it or not, cavities can begin forming as soon as the baby's first teeth appear, usually after about six months.

And while a cavity on a baby tooth might seem unimportant, since it is bound to be replaced by an adult tooth eventually, it is in fact very important for the child's development.

Caring for children's teeth all the way from birth will not only ensure that they have a strong set of teeth for chewing up their food, but, as you might be told if you went to visit Great Hill Dental in Braintree, an early focus on child tooth care will ensure that the child's permanent teeth will likewise grow in to be strong and healthy. Here are some important facts about caring for children's teeth.

Why Brush?

It might be thought that, since baby teeth will eventually fall out, there is no point in caring for them. This is a dangerous misconception of the way teeth work. Dental health is essential for children as soon as teeth appear, all the way into adulthood. This is because tooth decay can begin as soon as teeth appear. It may surprise you to know that any foods the child will consume, even milk, can cause tooth decay, and the only way around this is to accompany food with brushing. Caring for your child's teeth early will not only ensure good health, but will also instill good dental habits for the child, and set an example for them to follow when they begin to care for their own teeth.

In fact, baby teeth remain in a child's mouth for longer than you would expect, even up until the child is twelve or thirteen. In some cases baby teeth can even turn out to be permanent, and are never replaced by adult teeth. This is why it's important to take children's dental care seriously.

By caring for your child's teeth and gums right from birth, you will, in the first place, be providing a healthy environment for their baby teeth to form. This will avoid any painful cavities that can form, and save you and your child a lot of distress and dental procedures. Further, baby teeth hold a place for future teeth to grow in, and if they fall out due to cavities or other complications, the teeth that come in after them may grow in crookedly, and cause trouble for the child. Baby teeth are important for setting up the proper formation of adult teeth, to ensure that they grow in strongly and correctly. 

Things to Know

Most children begin to grow teeth, in a process known as teething, at as early as six months of age. In general, the bottom teeth form first, followed by the top, until finally the child should have a full set of teeth, ten on the bottom and ten on the top, making twenty teeth total. This whole process takes about three years to complete.

It is known that teething can cause quite a bit of discomfort for children, and if this causes them to fuss, you can give them a variety of things to help ease the process, for example a teething ring, a pacifier, or a piece of clean, wet cloth to chew on.

As soon as that first tooth appears, this is when the parent should begin with brushing the child's teeth. At this age, the baby is still quite delicate, so it is recommended that you use a soft toothbrush with at most three rows of bristles, a damp cloth, or even your finger. Toothpaste with fluoride can also be used, by only a rice-grain amount when the child is young. 

It is important to wipe the child's teeth clean after every meal, and to brush at bedtime as well. It is also recommended that you brush the child's gums, in order to clean away any bacteria, and to strengthen the child's gums to hold their teeth in place.

As you can see, though caring for a child is a busy time, it is very important to start thinking about your child's teeth right from the get go! And make sure you visit a dentist if you have any questions and concerns.