Infant Dental Care
How many teeth has a baby got? Count them up… 8? Huh? 16? Oh, 20? Will you trust 52? It sounds awesome, but it’s real. All 20 of the (primary) baby teeth and most of the adult (permanent) teeth are formed by birth. Nearly all of the 32 permanent teeth are well on their way by age 3. What’s even more incredible is that when your child is an infant, there are many steps you can take now that can decide their oral health well into adulthood. Dental clinic near me is an excellent resource for this.
TEETHINGING
The two lower front teeth are normally the first to reach the age of around 6-10 months. Teething lasts until the second primary molars erupt when they are around 2 1/2 years old. The child’s gums may look a little swollen and puffy during teething, and they may experience excessive drooling and grouchiness. Other teething symptoms can include: lack of appetite, trouble sleeping, and low-grade transient fever. If your baby has a high or prolonged fever, a rash, or vomiting, these are signs that something else might be wrong and your pediatrician should be consulted.
You should give your child a cool teething ring or a frozen washcloth to chew on to help ease teething pain. The cold will help numb the gums and the chewing will help break through the fresh teeth. It is important to take care not to encourage your child to chew on items that could break apart and pose a danger of choking. Infant Tylenol and preparations that numb the gums should be used only as a last resort and sparingly.
BABY TEETH’S Significance
Although the primary teeth will ultimately be replaced, it is true that they play very important roles. Like your permanent teeth, the primary teeth of your child are needed for: proper chewing and feeding, production of voice, and an attractive appearance. Moreover, in the growth of jaw bones and muscles, primary teeth play an important role and help direct permanent teeth into place. Usually, the second primary molars are not replaced until 12-14 years and must typically serve for 10 or more years.
ORAL HYGIENE
Even before the first tooth erupts, cleaning should commence. You should gently clean the gums of your baby with a clean, moist gauze or washcloth after every meal. This will make it possible for you to verify that everything appears normal and for the first tooth to erupt into a safe oral environment. You may use gauze or washcloth to begin brushing the first few new primary teeth. It’s time to graduate to a smooth, kid-size toothbrush until your fingers are in jeopardy. At least twice a day, and most importantly, before bedtime, brushing should be completed.
TOOTH PASTE
Fluoride toothpaste is not designed for swallowing and should not be used by young children before it is able to rinse and spit consistently. Infants do not require extra fluoride from toothpaste if they obtain the correct dietary fluoride replacement. Several toothpastes that are specially formulated for children are also available in pharmacies and supermarkets. Such infant toothpastes do not contain fluoride, are safe to chew, and are less abrasive than traditional toothpastes for children and adults.
Fluoride toothpaste can be used until your child has the opportunity to brush and spit. With “good tasting” children’s toothpaste, parents of young children should be particularly careful. Some children prefer to eat these toothpastes because of their good flavour. It needs to be firmly discouraged. For each brushing, parents can ensure that only a small pea-size dab of fluoride toothpaste is used.