Caring for children’s dental health is like building a house: both require a specialised skill set, a strong foundation, and a commitment to quality. When should I schedule my child’s first trip to the dentist? Should my 3-year-old be flossing? How do I know if my child needs braces?
Many parents have a tough time judging how much dental care their kids need. They know they want to prevent cavities, but they don’t always know the best way to do so. Here are some tips and guidelines.
Development of Children’s Teeth
Children get their teeth at different times, but most babies will get their first tooth between six months and 10 months. Most children will have all twenty baby teeth by the time they are three years old.
Adult teeth replace baby teeth between the ages of six and 12 years. The wisdom teeth are the last teeth to emerge, coming through in the late teens. Your child will start losing baby teeth around the age of six. Let loose baby teeth fall out on their own.
Sometimes an adult tooth will come through before the baby tooth has fallen out. If this happens and the baby tooth hasn’t fallen out within two to three months, and is not loose, you should see your dentist.
When Should Kids Start Brushing Their Teeth?
Good dental care begins before a baby’s first tooth appears. Just because you can’t see the teeth doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Teeth actually begin to form in the second trimester of pregnancy. At birth, your baby has 20 primary teeth, some of which are fully developed in the jaw.
Here’s when and how to care for those little choppers:
Even before your baby starts teething, run a clean, damp washcloth over the gums to clear away harmful bacteria.
When your baby gets teeth, brush them with an infant toothbrush. Use water and a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). Use fluoride toothpaste that carries the American Dental Association’s (ADA) seal of acceptance. (If you are using baby toothpaste without the fluoride, keep it to the same amount because you still want to minimize any toothpaste that is swallowed.)
When two of your baby’s teeth touch, you can begin flossing between them.
Around age 2, your child should learn to spit while brushing. Avoid giving your child water to swish and spit because this can make swallowing toothpaste more likely.
Kids ages 3 and up should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Always supervise kids younger than 8 while brushing, as they’re likely to swallow toothpaste.
Even babies can get tooth decay. Putting a baby to sleep with a bottle can harm a baby’s teeth. Sugars from juice, formula, or milk that stay on a baby’s teeth for hours can eat away at the enamel (the layer of the tooth that protects against tooth decay). This can lead to “bottle mouth” or “baby bottle tooth decay.” When this happens, the front teeth can get discolored, pocked, and pitted. Cavities might form and, in severe cases, the decayed teeth might need to be pulled.
When kids are 6 months old, they can switch from a bottle to a sippy cup (with a straw or hard spout). This helps prevent liquid from pooling around a child’s teeth. By their first birthday, they’ll have the motor skills and coordination to use the cup on their own.
When To See a Dentist
Sunrisedental recommends that all children visit the dentist when the first tooth pushes through or by 12 months of age. Taking a child to the dentist early and when there are no problems with their teeth, allows them to get to know their dentist, have a positive experience and make future visits more familiar.
All children should visit the dentist regularly (every six to 12 months) for a check-up, even if they don’t appear to have any problems. Visiting the dentist regularly can help prevention, early detection, and management of tooth decay.
Causes of Tooth Decay and How to Protect
Tooth decay occurs when bacteria in the mouth break down the sugar from food and drinks, and produces acid. This acid damages the tooth surface (enamel) causing it to dissolve and form holes (dental caries or cavities) in the tooth.
If detected early, it is possible to stop decay from getting worse. Early decay often doesn’t produce symptoms, so by the time symptoms appear, tooth decay is in its late stages and may not be fixable. Signs of advanced decay include:
- cavity/hole in a tooth
- toothache
- pain
- sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet foods.
Here’s how to keep cavities away:
Start good oral habits early. Teach kids to brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and to floss regularly.
Get enough fluoride. Regular use of fluoride toughens the enamel, making it harder for acid to penetrate. Although many towns require tap water to be fluoridated, others don’t. If your water supply is not fluoridated or if your family uses purified water, ask your dentist for fluoride supplements. Most toothpastes contain fluoride but toothpaste alone will not fully protect a child’s teeth. Be careful, however, since too much fluoride can cause tooth discoloration. Check with your dentist before supplementing.
Limit or avoid some foods. Sugary foods, juices, candy (especially sticky gummy candy, gummy vitamins, or fruit leather or “roll-ups”) can erode enamel and cause cavities. If your kids eat these foods, have them rinse their mouth or brush their teeth after eating to wash away the sugar. The same goes for taking sweetened liquid medicines: always have kids rinse or brush afterward.
Conclusion
The importance of Sunrisedental cannot be overstated. They provide comprehensive care tailored to the needs of each individual child, from appropriate treatment plans to preventative care.
They also provide education and counselling to help children and their families understand the importance of proper oral hygiene.
While some may be concerned about the cost of dentists, it is important to note that the long-term benefits of proper oral health far outweigh any short-term costs.
At Sunrisedental Chatswood, NSW, we committed to providing comprehensive care tailored to the needs of each individual child. Our commitment to preventative care, education, and counselling ensures that children and their families receive the best oral health care and that the dental experience is positive. We encourage everyone to take advantage of our many services and ensure their children receive the best possible dental care.