Importance of Baby Teeth to Your Child’s Development

The baby teeth, also called primary teeth, is as vital as the permanent teeth. It helps your little one chew their food, speak well and give the face its shape. This is the reason why it is important to take good care of them.

How Baby Teeth Develop

When a baby is born, his 20 baby teeth are already there inside the jaws and usually emerge when the baby ages 6 months to one year. Most kids will have a complete set of 20 teeth by the time they reach 3.

However, every child is different – one specific tooth may appear first than the usual. When teeth erupt, some babies may experience tender or painful gums. Rubbing the child’s gums gently with a cool wet gauze pad or cloth may soothe the sore gums. Teethers can also be used. However, if the child is in pain and irritable, visit your dentist or doctor.

 Baby Teeth Hold Space for Adult Teeth

When a baby tooth lost too early before the adult tooth inside is ready to emerge, adjacent teeth can occupy the open space. When the adult tooth is ready to surface, there may not be enough space for them. This causes the teeth to be too crowded in a certain part or crooked.

This is the reason why beginning infancy, it is best to practice proper oral hygiene to protect their baby teeth from losing too early.

 If a child loses teeth too early, your dentist may suggest a space maintainer – a metal or plastic piece that helps make the space or gap open to ensure that emerging adult teeth is in the right place.

Prevent Decay in Baby Teeth

Tooth decay on your child’s baby teeth has a significant impact on the growth of their adult teeth. It can also be uncomfortable for them. Your child may find it challenging to eat certain foods and speak normally if they have tooth discomfort.

Thus, it is important to maintain proper dental care of baby teeth even if they will fall out later.

Tooth decay usually occur when the baby teeth are exposed to sugary liquids for long periods. These liquids include sweetened water, milk or formula, soda and fruit juice. It can also develop when you place your baby on bed with a bottle of milk still inside their mouth. When your baby is ready to eat solids, you may give water at this point.

Be sure to visit your dentist before your child’s first birthday. See it as a ‘well-baby check-up’ for their teeth.

How Can I Keep Proper Dental Care on Halloween?

Halloween is just around the corner, and for most kids, it means a bucket of free treats and sweets. It’s no surprise that Halloween present parents with various health and safety challenges, most especially with their kids’ dental health. Though it’s fine to eat candies on Halloween, it is best to have a plan.

To help your family keep those pearls healthy and strong on Halloween, here are some tips for you.

Choose wisely

Not all candies and sweets are the same, some are far worse than other when it comes to your teeth and gums’ health. If you are going to indulge this coming Halloween, eliminate the treats that are considered to be worst such as sticky treats like taffy and caramels, and hard candies as they tend to linger on your teeth spaces causing more damage.

Set Limits

This is very important. Do not let your child eat treats subconsciously while playing with friends or watching TV. Instead, give only on particular times such as after having a meal as the saliva produced during your meal will help remove the candy bits and sugar, hence lowering the risk of cavities. Another way is to have your child choose only a few of their favorites from the treat bag and allow them to eat sweet after a meal for just a week after Halloween, and then, donate the rest. Many dentists in the US joint the Halloween Buyback Program where candies are collected and sent to people in the military. When you donate your candy treats, your pediatric dentist might give you a new toothbrush in exchange.

Don’t Forget to Brush

But don’t hurry to brush your teeth after eating a few treats. Some candies are acidic and can soften the enamel, so brushing it right after eating can damage your teeth, risking damaging your enamel while still sensitive. Wait a bit before brushing your teeth. Instead of brushing, better drink water to rinse the sugar sticking on your eat and wait for at least 30 minutes before brushing.

Be Careful in Doing the Costumes

It isn’t just the treats that could damage your little ones teeth during Halloween. Be particularly careful with what you place on their teeth when it comes to costuming. When decorating your child’s teeth, use only those made for use in their mouth. Think more than twice when using prosthetics or fake fangs on your child. Though they may not cause any tooth cavities, there have been many cases of these products containing high levels of toxic chemicals such as lead. Talk to your pediatric dentist if you need any Halloween tips that concerns prosthetics or any kind of makeup on your teeth.

How to Clean Your Kid’s Braces

Caring your child’s braces and teeth can be challenging, so having an understanding on dental hygiene and possible dental problems that may surface becomes more important than ever before. Taking care of braces is necessary in preventing problems while they’re on and later on having a beautiful smile when they are removed.

Importance of Proper Oral Hygiene for Kids with Braces

Proper dental hygiene is key in preventing common problems such as demineralization, gingivitis and plaque build-up, however, it is more important during the time when a child wears orthodontic appliance such as braces. Oral hygiene is more complicated with braces on, and kids are more susceptible to dental problems.

The dental problems mentioned above can be miserable to deal on their own, but if ignored and left untreated, they have the potential to cause secondary dental health problems. Sometimes, the dentist may have to remove the braces and buy some time for the gums and mouth issues to recover before reattaching the braces.

How to Correctly Brush and Floss Teeth with Braces

Children with braces should take extra care when cleaning their teeth. Brushing 4 times a day is a great way to remove plaque and food particles from building up in their metal braces. The toothbrush should also be replaced more often, especially if the braces begin to wear down or fray.

1. Hold the toothbrush parallel to the floor.

2. Move the brush in circular motions, moving from tooth to tooth, going to the curve of the gums and teeth.

3. Brush every tooth for a few seconds, the back of the mouth, insides of the teeth and behind and sides of the molars, the tongue and the roof of the tongue. Brush in an upward-downward motion.

4. To clean the brackets, angle the brush when brushing them.

Flossing can be a hassle, but this is very important to be done every night after tooth brushing. For children with braces, you have to use ‘threader floss’ to be able to floss around wires. This floss has stiff ends that allows flossing between brackets.

Choosing the Right Toothbrush, Toothpaste and Mouthwash

When brushing teeth with braces, use a toothbrush with soft bristles. Brushing using a manual toothbrush will increase the risk of leaving plaque and food particles behind. It is highly encouraged to use power toothbrush.

No specific toothpaste is necessarily needed for brushing teeth with braces, but the use of fluoride-enriched toothpaste is encouraged. Choosing a type of toothpaste that features comprehensive protection helps keep optimal oral health.

Children is recommended to use mouthwash two times a day for a minute every time to rinse the brackets. The use of mouthwash will help clean the little gaps between the teeth where food residue could still be trapped after flossing and brushing.