Parenting is a big responsibility, and you must quickly learn how to keep your baby safe. You are expected to know all about feeding, burping, cleaning, and comforting your little one. But what about dental health? We are here to help you go through everything you need to know about the process of teething.
Dental Stages
The dental stages begin when the first teeth erupt, as early as the 6th month and up to the 10th month. It will normally be one of the central incisors, the teeth located in the middle, most commonly the lower ones. There is a general knowledge regarding when each tooth will erupt, but soon you will find out every baby is unique, and timing is not always the same.
These are the expected ages for each type of tooth to erupt, each with a wide window of time, so if your child ever seems to be behind on their development, you should consult a dentist and see if everything is alright. After the primary teeth erupt, shedding will follow around six years of age giving space for their permanent teeth.
What to do when the first tooth erupts?
When your baby’s first tooth shows up, it will slowly come out of the gums and you might notice extra drooling and discomfort; try to keep your baby calm and offer a proper teething toy. You will see your baby trying to bite everything; that is why teething toys are so comforting.
Once it’s out, you should book an appointment with a pediatric dentist, who will examine the development of the teeth, make sure everything is developing normally and provide instructions about care and hygiene for the new teeth. If there are no pediatric dentists in your area, you can always call a regular dentist and see if they’re comfortable seeing babies.
How to prevent tooth decay?
The best way to prevent damage to a kid’s teeth is by forming good dental hygiene habits, having them adjust to a daily routine of brushing their teeth as young as possible. Other ways of helping them not to develop dental problems are to make sure you’re using fluoride toothpaste and avoiding sugary foods, candies, and heavily processed products. Also, it would help if you prevented them from going to bed with a feeding bottle on their mouth, as this can cause damage to the development of their teeth.
You should also keep in mind that tooth decay can run in the family, so if you have a history of dental issues, tooth decay, bad teeth development, or bite issues, your child is at a higher risk, so check in with a professional pediatric dentist if necessary.
As you can see, providing dental health for your kid has much to do with building routines and habits. You must be constant and, most of all, creative to keep them interested. But you also need to know it will not always be easy, so prepare with patience and a good song to achieve the goal.
