Healthy baby

A Closer Look On Baby Teeth Care

There they are one day: your baby’s teeth! Now what?

As your baby begins to develop teeth, you may notice changes to more than just his or her mouth. Your baby may become more irritable or restless. In addition, you will need to begin caring for his/her teeth to keep them healthy. Prepare for your baby’s teeth by knowing what to expect, how you can help, and how to take care those baby pearly whites.

What can I expect?

Baby teeth usually begin appearing between 4-7 months, although all children are different. The first teeth to come in are usually the bottom front teeth. Sometimes teething may hurt and cause the baby to be fussy and drool more than usual.

Teething does not cause a fever. A fever usually indicates another issue. If your baby has a fever you should see a doctor to determine the issue.

What can I do to help?

You can help alleviate teething pain by:

Giving a cold teething ring or wash cloth to suck on.
Rubbing your baby’s gums with a clean finger.
Asking your doctor about infant’s acetaminophen. (Do not give your infant aspirin. Aspirin can cause serious illness in infants.)
Asking your doctor about using teething gels.

How can I take care of my baby’s teeth?

You can start cleaning your baby’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears. You should use a damp wash cloth to wipe away plaque twice a day until the child is one year old. If left unchecked, plaque can damage babies’ teeth as they come in.

After one year of age, you should begin using a soft baby brush and a small dab of toothpaste that does not have fluoride in it. The non-fluoride toothpaste should be safe for your infant to swallow. Choose a brush that has soft bristles, a small head, and a large handle. Be on the lookout for signs of tooth decay such as brown or white spots on the tooth. Take your baby to the dentist after his/her first birthday.

If you give your child a bottle or sippy cup be sure not to leave it with your baby in the crib. Falling asleep with milk or juice in the mouth can cause decay. You can start using a sippy cup at 6 months old and should stop using a bottle at 1 year of age. Avoid sugary juices and flavored milks as these can lead to decay.

If your baby shows signs of tooth decay schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible!

Milk And Teeth: The Perfect Match

To build strong bones, you must provide yourself with tons of calcium, which milk happens to have. In fact, it contains about 300 milligrams in one cup! So does drinking milk or eating dairy products benefit the strength and health of your teeth? The answer is yes, and here are some of the reasons why:

  • According to the National Institutes of Health, ninety-nine percent of calcium is stored in your teeth and bones.
  • Since baby teeth begin forming long before birth, expecting mothers should consume their “Recommended Dietary Allowance” of it: between 1000 and 1300 mg per day.
  • Milk and dairy products such as cheeses can actually reduce tooth decay.
  • Milk forms a protective coating on enamel that can prevent bacteria coming in direct contact with your teeth.

 

Overall, consuming plenty of milk and dairy can make your family’s teeth stronger and more decay-resistant, but, at the end of the day, incorporating a good oral care routine is key to preventing dental disease.

Teething: What To Know And How To Take Action

So first thing is first, what is teething? Teething is when your first set of teeth break through the gums. Pressure from the teeth poking through under the gums causes discomfort. This is the culprit for all that constant urge for babies to chew, chew chew! So when does all this chewing start to happen? Teething usually occurs between 6 to 24 months of age. Since each child is different and there is no exact set time on when teething will stop, we have a few suggestions to ease any aches and pains for the time being.

Pressure

Don’t think that your little one can get enough chewing. Let them have at it! This helps them relieve any discomfort and distracts them from the sensation of pain that the teeth are causing. Be sure to provide safe objects for chewing, such as teething rings.

Painkillers

Check with a doctor to see what particular medication is right for your little one. A common pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Children’s Motrin), can reduce inflammation in the gums and reduce any pain for babies who are at least six months old. Keep in mind that aspirin is off-limits to anyone under the age of 19.

Hard Foods

Gnawing on hard food can soothe any pain temporarily. Be sure to keep an eye out for any choking hazards from consuming larger pieces of food!

Cold Objects or Foods

Cold water in a bottle or cold purees can do the trick for relieving any soreness; just make sure nothing is too cold or coming from the freezer which can cause more aggravation for the gums.

Gum Massages

Gently rubbing a clean finger over the sore gums can provide the same relief and distraction as chewing on objects for teething by counteracting the pressure from the gums.

Why is it Important to Repair Baby Teeth?

You may think that baby teeth eventually just fall out and may not need to be repaired if they have any problems, but they definitely play a huge role for eating and future development of permanent teeth. Your baby teeth, or primary teeth, fall out at different times depending on the type of tooth. For instance, primary molars don’t fall out by at least the age of ten. It’s possible that a cavity can develop during that time frame and cause a problem for the tooth before it falls out. Any sign of small decay can spread and cause the premature loss of a primary tooth. The more primary teeth that are in good shape, the better! Preserving the health of primary teeth is important is because it holds the space for permanent teeth. Keeping them around is the best way to avoid unnecessary crowding in the future caused by other teeth drifting into any spaces left by an extracted primary tooth.

 

 

Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

What happened to these teeth!? Why does this little 2-year-old’s teeth look like this? These are cavities, and they are a result of what is called “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.” One of the ways cavities can develop is when sweetened liquids or those with natural sugars remain on the teeth for prolonged periods of time like when a child uses a bottle or a sippy cup. Bacteria use this sugar and make acid which clings to the teeth and rots the teeth away. Sleeping with a bottle can be especially bad as the sugars (even the natural sugars from milk) can cling to the teeth all night long. In order to prevent this from happening, it is important to limit the amount of time a child sips on their bottle or sippy cup. Instead of allowing them to sip on these all day and night long, let them drink from it in one sitting and then clean their teeth – either with a toothbrush or wipe the teeth off with a cloth. As soon as your child’s first tooth comes in, the teeth should be cleaned at least twice daily, especially before bed after the last thing they have to eat or drink. For ultimate cavity protection it is now recommended to use a very small amount, no larger than a grain of rice,  of fluoridated toothpaste twice daily as soon as the teeth come in.

Instead of juice or milk in the bottle or sippy cup between meals or at bed or nap times, choose water.