Very Young
Good Dental Care Starts With Baby Teeth
HEALTHY BABY TEETH
Did You Know…?
It is a little recognised fact that a child’s dental care actually begins in the womb.This makes it more important for pregnant mothers to take special care of their health. Pregnant women should make sure they eat a well balanced diet full of nutritious foods that contain all the vitamins and minerals that their bodies may need during their pregnancy. If you are pregnant and you have any cavities or gum disease, then it’s important to get them treated as early as possible. Pregnant women in the UK are still entitled to free NHS dental treatment. If you are lucky enough to have a good dental insurance plan then it is likely that you have already been advised that a visit to the dental surgery during your pregnancy would be a good idea.
The Childs Developing Teeth
Your child’s first teeth usually begin to break through the gums from the age of about 6 months old. As every child is different the age can vary greatly so do not fret if the your child’s first teeth break through a little earlier or later. Each child has twenty “milk” teeth, which come out between the ages of six months and three years. These first teeth are not around for long; usually children start losing his or her milk teeth between the ages of 6 and 11 years old. Your child’s molars should come through at around six years old. The last permanent teeth come out anywhere between the age of 12 and 21 years old.
By eight months of age, your dentist should be able to tell you of any concerns with your baby’s developing teeth. It may only be in the short-term, but it is still good to know of any concerns if they should arise.While they may not be medical doctors, dentists often have a wide range of knowledge and experience within the dental surgery field which help them advise on a range of related issues. Familiarisation is one of the most important reasons for taking your child with you when you visit your dentist. You have a better chance of avoiding fear of dentists in your child if you take them with you to your own appointments.
When Should Your Child’s Dental Care Begin?
As a parent you should make a dentist’s appointment for your child every six months.By the time your child is one you should be starting proactive dental care. A new mother can do a lot, beginning from the appearance of the very first tooth. Naturally you cannot use a tooth brush on a baby’s very first teeth, nor can you use adult toothpaste either. A toothbrush will have bristles which are much too hard for a baby’s teeth and adult tooth pastes have fluoride in them. Whatever the pros and cons of putting fluoride into toothpaste it is a subject which will no doubt continue to be debated, but probably the best idea is to avoid it when your baby is still very young. At this early stage toothpaste is little more than a lubricant anyway; a soft damp cloth is the best and easiest way to clean your baby’s gums and teeth. This will be enough to remove the sugars from breast milk, formula or other drinks containing sugars. Tooth decay can start at a young age due to the sugars found in foods. The rule is simple, a gentle wipe over the teeth and gums each time after feeding and you will be doing a great job. Once the child gets to around 2 years old it is far easier for parents to introduce toothpastes (fluoride free or low fluoride) and there are many products on the market. You can ask your dentist for advice on choosing your child’s first toothbrush and toothpaste.
If your child has any dental problems arising from illness or injury, for example, then they should be seen by a pediatric dental specialist. Certain underlying issues behind dental problems – such as poor circulation, for example – may require additional treatments, which your pediatrician may suggest that you look into.
Helpful Tips
1. Do not Share Eating Utensils.- It is normal for parents and carers to share utensils with their children. The saliva you may leave on the utensil contains bacteria that can cause tooth decay. You can help prevent early childhood tooth decay by making sure that your family practices good dental health habits.If you do use your baby’s spoon or test the milk from the teat of their bottle, make sure that you wipe it before giving it to them. Keeping your own teeth and gums healthy reduces the risk of transferring tooth decay bacteria to your child.
2. Avoid Giving a Bottle to Send Baby to Sleep.- While it may be tempting sometimes, be aware that putting your baby or child to bed at night with a bottle of milk or juice puts them at risk of tooth decay due to the acids present in the sugars which the drink contains. This one is a lot easier to say than to do!
3. Help Your Teeth With a Healthy Diet. - your kids will need to eat the right balance of foods in order to avoid tooth decay and develop strong, healthy gums and teeth. These include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try to avoid too many foods that are high in sugar and processed carbohydrates, such as pastries, white pasta, and white bread. Even seemingly innocent fruits which we all try to get our children to eat more of contain sugars which can be harmful to their teeth, so it’s important to strike the right balance.
4. The Teeth Cleaning Process. - You can gently clean around the gums and first teeth with a soft cloth as soon as you see them beginning to break through.As more teeth push through, use a very soft brush with a little water to clean them.
5. Fluoride Is Important For Healthy Teeth. - By the time, your baby is 1 year old, begin to use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste while brushing your child’s teeth.
6. Flossing Time – You should begin flossing your child’s teeth as soon as you notice their teeth beginning to touch each other.
7. On Their Own – Your child can learn how to brush his or her own teeth at about 3 years of age. By the time they are four years of age, children should be brushing their own teeth twice a day – in the morning and before bedtime.While they may be independent enough to do it themselves, you should always supervise brushing to ensure it is being dome the right way.
They are getting older and now it is the time to teach them how important it is to take care of their teeth because if they do not learn now then they never will learn the importance of good dental hygiene. Dencover dental insurance have dedicated an entire web site to helping you maintain beautiful healthy teeth and offering tips and advice on the best ways that you can insure your smile.
Cat Stevens – Oh Very Young (live)
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This entry was posted on Sunday, October 23rd, 2005 at 9:20 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.