Medical Vision Dental

HEALTHY BABY TEETH

Did You Know…?

It is a little recognised fact that a child’s dental care actually begins in the womb.This makes it more important for pregnant mothers to take special care of their health.  Pregnant women should make sure they eat a well balanced diet full of nutritious foods that contain all the vitamins and minerals that their bodies may need during their pregnancy. You should go for a full dental examination when you discover you are pregnant, as any cavities or gum disease will need to be treated as early as possible. Pregnant women in the UK are still entitled to free NHS dental treatment. If you are lucky enough to have a good dental insurance plan then it is likely that you have already been advised that a visit to the dental surgery during your pregnancy would be a good idea.

The Childs Developing Teeth

Your child’s first teeth usually begin to break through the gums from the age of about 6 months old.  As every child is different the age can vary greatly so do not fret if the your child’s first teeth break through a little earlier or later. Every child has 20 primary teeth making their appearance between the age of 6 months and 3 years old. These first teeth are not around for long; usually children start losing his or her milk teeth between the ages of 6 and 11 years old.At around six years old your child’s molars should come through. The last of a person’s permanent teeth usually come out somewhere between the ages of twelve and twenty-one.

By eight months of age, your dentist should be able to tell you of any concerns with your baby’s developing teeth. It may still be early days, but it’s good to be aware of any initial problems if any with your baby’s tiny mouth.While they may not be medical doctors, dentists often have a wide range of knowledge and experience within the dental surgery field which help them advise on a range of related issues. There are many great reasons to suggest that taking your child for regular dentist visits is a good idea, but the one I like most is familiarisation. You have a better chance of avoiding fear of dentists in your child if you take them with you to your own appointments. 

When Should Your Child’s Dental Care Begin?

Parents should schedule their child’s dental visits for every six months.  Starting proactive dental care from around the time your child turns one is a great idea. From the appearance of the very first tooth, there is still a lot that parents can do. Naturally you cannot use a tooth brush on a baby’s very first teeth, nor can you use adult toothpaste either. A toothbrush will have bristles which are much too hard for a baby’s teeth and adult tooth pastes have fluoride in them. Whatever the pros and cons of putting fluoride into toothpaste it is a subject which will no doubt continue to be debated, but probably the best idea is to avoid it when your baby is still very young. Toothpaste is essentially just the lubricant at this stage, and the best thing is to use a soft cloth to simply wipe your baby’s teeth and gums. This will be enough to remove the sugars from breast milk, formula or other drinks containing sugars. It’s the sugars in the foods which cause tooth decay at such a young age. Simply wipe their teeth and gums after each feed and this will go a long way. At around two years old it is easier to introduce a low fluoride toothpaste into the cleaning regime. Your dentist will be happy to advise you when choosing a brush and toothpaste for your child.

If your child has any dental problems arising from illness or injury, for example, then they should be seen by a pediatric dental specialist. Certain underlying issues behind dental problems – such as poor circulation, for example – may require additional treatments, which your pediatrician may suggest that you look into.

Helpful Tips

1. Avoid Sharing Cutlery.- Parents and carers may often share spoons and forks with their children. You may leave saliva on the spoon which may contain tooth decay bacteria. By practising good oral health habits within your family you can help reduce the risk of early tooth decay in your children.If you do use your baby’s spoon or test the milk from the teat of their bottle, make sure that you wipe it before giving it to them. Keeping your own teeth and gums healthy reduces the risk of transferring tooth decay bacteria to your child.

2. No Bottles at Night.- While it may be tempting sometimes, be aware that putting your baby or child to bed at night with a bottle of milk or juice puts them at risk of tooth decay due to the acids present in the sugars which the drink contains. This may often be easier said than done!

3. A Healthy Diet Means Happy Teeth. - Give your child nutritious foods to maintain healthy gums, develop strong teeth, and avoid tooth decay. These include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try to avoid too many foods that are high in sugar and processed carbohydrates, such as pastries, white pasta, and white bread. Even seemingly innocent fruits which we all try to get our children to eat more of contain sugars which can be harmful to their teeth, so it’s important to strike the right balance.

4. How to Clean the Teeth. - A soft cloth is sufficient to clean around your baby’s gums and first teeth as they start to come through.  As more teeth come in you can clean them with a soft toothbrush, using only water rather than toothpaste for the first few months.

5. Fluoride Is Important For Healthy Teeth. - By the time, your baby is 1 year old, begin to use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste while brushing your child’s teeth.

6. Flossing Time – You should begin flossing your child’s teeth as soon as you notice their teeth beginning to touch each other.

7. On Their Own – Your child can learn how to brush his or her own teeth at about 3 years of age. Children should be brushing their teeth in the morning and before bedtime by 4 years old.  Even though they are brushing their teeth on their own, you should still watch them and make sure they are brushing their teeth the right way.

As they get older it is important to teach them how best to take care of their teeth – good dental hygiene practices now will help them keep beautiful teeth in the future. Dencover dental insurance have dedicated an entire web site to helping you maintain beautiful healthy teeth and offering tips and advice on the best ways that you can insure your smile.