Dental health in babies is a challenging aspect for any parent. New parents usually have tons of queries regarding what to expect, common problems and how to keep dental issues at bay when it comes to their precious bundle of joy.
The first and foremost thing to remember is that even for babies, routine oral hygiene checkups are very important. Through these checkups, you can get an idea about what to expect in terms of oral development in your baby and also helps determine any problematic areas that may lead to dental issues in future.
Teeth Eruption Timeline
Most babies get their first tooth around 6 months old. Usually teeth come in pairs. The first ones to erupt are generally the middle two on the bottom and a month or so later the two in the top row. Some babies might get four bottom teeth first and no upper teeth or even vice versa. A general timeline would be as follows:
- 6 months: lower central incisors
- 8 months: upper central incisors
- 10 months: lower and upper lateral incisors
- 14 months: first molars
- 18 months: canines
- 24 months: second molars
Tips to Ensure Good Dental Health in Babies
Teething
Apart from seeing the teeth poking through, you should look out for symptoms such as puffy gums, excessive drooling, an urge to gnaw, fussiness especially at night, trouble sleeping and a change in eating habits or refusing to eat. Give your baby something to chew on like a teething device. Remember to clean it thoroughly. You can also try rubbing a clean finger firmly but gently on the baby’s sore gums. This will help ease the pain temporarily. If your baby is old enough to eat solid foods, cold foods such as yogurt or applesauce might help. Even gnawing on unsweetened teething biscuits can provide relief to the baby.
Feeding
Remember to gently clean your baby’s teeth and gums with a soft cloth after every feeding session. Talk to your dentist about when and how you can start brushing your baby’s teeth. If recommended, use a soft brush and a tiny dab of baby toothpaste to clean the teeth. Parents should also keep a watchful eye on the type of foods their babies eat. Hard, sugary, chewy foods should be strictly avoided.
Sleeping
If your baby has moved on to drinking milk from a bottle, do not let him or her sleep with the bottle in the mouth. Continuous nursing or letting your baby sleep with a bottle in the mouth may cause early childhood cavities. You should also look out for early signs of tooth decay or cavities such as minor pitting and tooth discoloration.
Thumb sucking
Some babies develop the habit of thumb sucking. If you notice this habit in your child, it’s best to break the habit early on. If left unnoticed it might lead to protruded teeth in future which can further cause dental problems.
See a dentist to ensure dental health in your baby
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that a child go to the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth erupts. Schedule routine oral hygiene checkups for your baby so that you can gift him or her a beautiful and a healthy smile!
