Baby’s Teeth Care
Baby’s teeth should be taken an extra care as they are at more risk of cavity and other oral diseases. The children should be given the proper dental care before the first baby tooth appears. Always remember that just because you can’t see the teeth doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Teeth actually begin to form during the second trimester of pregnancy. At birth your baby has 20 primary teeth, some of which are fully developed in the jaw.
It is seen that babies can have dental decay when parents do not practice good feeding habits at home. Placing a bottle to your baby’s mouth while he or she is at sleep may be convenient in the short term, but it can harm the baby’s teeth. When the sugars from juice or milk remain on a baby’s teeth for hours, they may eat away at the enamel, generating a condition known as bottle mouth. Pocked, pitted, or discolored front teeth are signs of bottle mouth. Severe cases result in cavities and the need to pull all the front teeth until the permanent ones grow in.
It is recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) that a child’s first visit to the dentist take place by the first birthday. At this visit the dentist will explain the proper way to brush and to take care of the teeth. Such visits will help in the early recognition of possible problems, and help kids become accustomed to visiting the dentist so they’ll have less fear about going as they grow older.
When all of your child’s primary teeth have come in, usually around age 2½ your dentist may start applying topical fluoride. Fluoride hardens the tooth enamel and also helping to ward off the most common childhood oral disease, dental caries, or cavities.
Cavities are mainly caused by bacteria and food that are left on the teeth after eating. When these stuffs are not brushed away, acid collects on a tooth, softening its enamel until a hole or cavity forms. Regular use of fluoride strengthens the enamel, making it more difficult for acid to penetrate.
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