Baby teeth are very important as they come in lieu of a place for adult teeth. These baby teeth put a smile on every face and come into the baby’s mouth much before you know it.
You could be mulling that baby teeth are going to fall off from the mouth one day, so why then care for them. But, let’s be reminded that baby teeth are needed for eating, smiling and speaking. But the most important role of baby teeth in the mouth is to keep the space in the jaws for adult teeth to grow. Your child will lose their teeth at the formative age of six when the adult teeth begin to appear in the mouth.
If your baby loses tooth before the predestined age, consult your child’s dentist about various options to keep space in the mouth for adult teeth to erupt normally.
Baby teeth sighting:
Baby teeth first penetrate the gums and enter the mouth six months of age. These teeth are generally the front bottom teeth. The last teeth to appear in the mouth are at the age of three and they are at the very posterior section of the mouth in the upper jaw. At this age, the child will most astutely have 10 top teeth and 10 bottom teeth.
How do I take care of baby teeth?
There are numerous things you can do to keep baby’s teeth clean and germ-free. One is to brush your baby’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste both at day and night time. For newborns, wipe the gums with a wet cloth to keep the mouth clean. For children below age 3, use toothpaste, size of a grain of rice and for children above 3 years of age, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Allow your children to brush their teeth for 2 minutes until you make sure that your child leaves no teeth brushed.
Clean between their teeth to remove morsels of food stuck between their teeth. Using floss every day keeps cavities between the teeth at bay. Your toddler dentist is the best judge of your child’s welfare by pointing out cavities and signalling to you the next batch of teeth that are set to come in.
Visit your child’s dentist: Visit your pediatric dental surgeon often, most particularly between the eruption of the first tooth and no later than your child’s first birthday. He can tell you if your child is possessing plaque or cavities and tell you when to expect the next teeth.
Keep a track on your child’s diet: Watching the child’s diet is next to important because what he eats and drinks will have a direct fallout on his teeth. Beware of sugary items that can put your child in the risk category because sugary products such as cookies can remove the enamel of the tooth thus leading to cavities.
Enquire about sealants to your dentist: If your baby is at a high risk of developing cavities between his teeth, it is advisable to go for sealants in the back teeth. Sealants are a special coating that goes into the pits and grooves of your child’s teeth.