Babies are as individual in their teething as they are in everything else they do. It’s not uncommon for some babies to drool for weeks before their first tooth comes in. For others, teeth just seem to appear without much fuss at all. Quite often a baby will have sore or tender gums and that tends to make them irritable. To help soothe any sore spots, gently rub them with a clean finger or the back of a small, cold spoon. Teething rings also work well. Try and avoid teething biscuits since many of them contain sugar and shouldn’t be offered.
Some parents worry that their child’s teething is either too early or too late. There is absolutely no link between when the child’s teeth come in and how strong the teeth will be. Most babies begin to get primary teeth after the age of four months, usually six to nine months. The timing of teeth is genetic, and late-teething parents are likely to have late-teething children.
Be sure to examine all of your baby’s teeth especially on the inside or the tongue side every two weeks for dull whiter spots or lines. These can be signs of nursing bottle decay. If a bottle is left in an infants mouth for a long period of time and it contains anything but water, decay can occur more rapidly. Sugar in the liquid mixes with bacteria in the dental plaque to form acids that attack tooth enamel.
Each time your child drinks liquids containing sugar, acids attack the teeth for at least 20 minutes. When children are awake, their saliva tends to carry away the liquid. But during sleep, the saliva flow decreases and these liquids pool around the child’s teeth for long periods bathing the teeth in acids. If your baby needs a bottle for comfort before falling asleep, fill the bottle with plain water. Regardless of your child’s age, if you notice anything unusual in your baby’s mouth, seek dental care immediately.
The process by which children lose their baby teeth is a simple one. At about age six the roots of the baby teeth begin to dissolve, as this happens the teeth begin to get loose. A baby tooth may wiggle about for quite a while before the tooth actually falls out. Gentle coaxing by pushing on the tooth is not harmful, however, be sure that your child does not put excess pressure on the tooth with his tongue. It is not abnormal for the permanent tooth to make an appearance with the baby tooth still in the mouth. If however, the baby tooth does NOT fall out soon after the permanent tooth breaks through, notify your dentist. An over-retained baby tooth may interfere with the normal development of the adult tooth.
Baby teeth are also responsible for guiding the permanent teeth into their proper position in the jaw. If a baby tooth is lost prematurely due to an accident or decay it is important that we hold the space open. Usually, this is done with a little device called a space maintainer. If this space is not held open, the tooth underneath may have problems growing in later on. Baby teeth generally come out when they are ready, without any complications. Notify your pediatric dentist of any problems or questions.
Sucking is a normal reflex of a baby. Simply put, it relaxes and comforts them. The need for sucking usually comes to an end between the age of two or three. But for some, prolonged and vigorous sucking after the age of four can cause problems with normal dental development. If you are concerned your child’s sucking may cause dental problems, visit your pediatric dentist and discuss the matter. He or she can tell you the best method for weaning your child from the habit.
