By Dr Kiran Koora, MDS (Paedodontics)
It is important that primary teeth are taken care of. Even if they will eventually fall out, they play an important role in helping children bite their food, chew their food and speak properly, and they also guide the permanent teeth into their proper places. Milk (deciduous) teeth start erupting when babies are between 5 and 8 months old. They are smaller than adult teeth because the jaws are smaller in children. As the jaws grow, more teeth come out. There are 20 deciduous teeth altogether, and they stop coming out by the age of 2 to 2½ years.
Teething
The emergence of a baby’s first tooth is an exciting milestone. From the early appearance of the first tiny tooth to caring for the new set, learn what to expect from your baby’s new arrivals.
1. Most infants have their first tooth between 6 and 8 months of age.
2. Teeth usually come up in pairs.
3. Bottom front teeth (central incisors) typically emerge first, followed by the top ones. Then the first primary molars and the canine teeth (the pointy ones) appear. The last to appear are the second primary molars.
4. Tooth development actually begins in the womb. Primary or ‘baby’ teeth begin to form under the gums during the fifth month of pregnancy and slowly emerge as your infant grows older. But it is not until the teeth start breaking through the gums that things get uncomfortable for the baby.
5. Toddlers should have their full set of 20 primary teeth by age 2 to 2½ years. Permanent teeth won’t begin to replace the milk teeth until the child is 4 to 6 years old.
Signs and symptoms
Biting, drooling, gum rubbing, sucking, irritability, wakefulness, ear rubbing, facial rash, decreased appetite and mild fever could all be signs of teething.
Keeping new teeth healthy
Between the ages of 1 and 3, your child will grow his/her full set of 20 teeth.
1. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, you should take your baby to his first dental exam by the age of 6 months. The dentist will go over feeding and cleaning habits, and check for early signs of tooth decay.
2. Brush your infant’s teeth with tap water. It contains fluoride (bottled water doesn’t), which is needed for developing teeth and bones. Since too much fluoride can cause brown or white spots on incoming teeth, wait until age 2 to use pea-size amounts of fluoride toothpaste.
3. Don’t let kids fall asleep with a bottle; milk or juice that sits on the back of the top two front teeth can cause cavities.
Five ways to soothe
a teething baby
Teething babies often find relief by chewing, leaving bite marks on crib railings, board books, and even you. To discourage clamping down on an arm, breast, or finger, offer the following teething remedies:
* A cold or wet washcloth
* Hard, cold objects such as large spoons which children cannot swallow
* A frozen bagel
* A cold teething biscuit
* A chilled plastic teething ring or pacifier
Baby bottle decay
Baby bottle decay is caused by frequent exposure, over time, to liquids containing sugars. These include milk, formula, and fruit juices. The sugary liquids pool around the teeth for long periods of time as your baby sleeps, leading to cavities that first develop in the upper and lower front teeth. For this reason, you shouldn’t let your baby fall asleep with a bottle of juice or milk in his mouth. Instead, at naptime, give your child a bottle filled with water or a pacifier recommended by your dentist. If you breast-feed, avoid letting the baby nurse continuously. And after each feeding, wipe your baby’s teeth and gums with a clean, damp washcloth or a gauze pad.
Care of primary teeth
Good oral care starts from the beginning of your child’s life. Even before his or her first teeth emerge, certain factors can affect their future appearance and health. For instance, tetracycline, a common antibiotic, can cause tooth discoloration. For this reason, it should not be used by nursing mothers or by expectant mothers in the last half of pregnancy. Since baby teeth usually emerge around six months of age, standard oral health procedures like brushing and flossing aren’t required for infants. However, infants have special oral health needs that every new parent should know about. These include guarding against baby bottle decay and making sure your child is receiving enough fluoride. Before your children get their first teeth, you should wipe the gums of your child and clean them with a washcloth.
When teeth start erupting into the mouth, brush them twice a day with a soft toothbrush only (no toothpaste). Brushing with fluoride toothpaste should be done only after 2 years of age. If the child is above 2 years, use only a small amount of toothpaste because children might swallow the toothpaste instead of spitting it out, and this could lead to cosmetic problems like fluorosis when permanent teeth come out. When two teeth touch each other, you should use floss in between them. Using regular floss will do, but you may opt for the special plastic floss holders to assist you.
You should talk to your dentist about fluoride. If your child drinks water that isn’t fluoridated, then fluoride treatments or supplement may be necessary. At some point in time, you child would want to brush his/her own teeth. It is alright to give them a turn but you should always brush your child’s teeth one more time. Most children are unable to brush properly up until they are eight years old. If your child is at high risk for cavities, then sealants should be placed on their teeth. Dental sealants are plastic coverings placed over the grooves of the teeth in order to prevent them from decaying.
