Baby’s Oral Health

Question: At what age should a baby be first seen by the dentist and how important are the baby teeth?

Answer:
Baby’s First Teeth :
Primary teeth, sometimes called “ baby teeth” are as important as the adult teeth. They begin to appear when children are about 6 months old and help them to chew and speak.
They also hold space in the jaws for the permanent teeth that are developing under the gums.
-Most children have a full set of 20 baby teeth by  3 years of age.
-Baby teeth begin to fall out at about 6 years of age, the first permanent tooth begin to appear about the same time.
-Begin brushing your child’s teeth with a damp washcloth as soon as they appear.
-Children 2 years or older should use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste and should avoid swallowing. They should  spit out remaining toothpaste and rinse with water after brushing.
-The ADA now recommends that a child should see the dentist as soon as their first tooth appear, but no later than their 1st birthday.
-The dentist can demonstrate how to clean the baby teeth properly and how to evaluate adverse habits such as thumb-sucking.
-As the permanent molars appear, SEALANTS are recommended, it is a thin plastic material applied to the groove of the teeth to protect against the effects of cavity- causing bacteria.
-Generally children should see their dentist twice a year so that cavities if present can be caught early so that they can be filled instead of being extracted, which will be necessary if the tooth is severely decayed.
Recommendation: Help your children maintain a lifelong healthy smile by providing them with a well balanced diet, limiting sugary snacks, ensuring that they brush twice a day, and scheduling regular dental checkups for them.