Children and oral health. Are baby teeth important?

In this article you will find out more about baby teeth and about oral health and children. It is an article both for kids and for parents. Once you teach  your children to take care of their teeth, to brush and floss twice a day, this healthy habit will become a way of life.

The first teeth appear around six months of age and by the time a child is 2 or 3 years old, all primary teeth (baby teeth) should have erupted. Shortly after the age of 4, the jaw and the facial bones of the child begin to grow, creating the spacing between primary teeth (these spaces are for the permanent teeth to emerge). Between 6 and 12, a mixture of both primary and permanent teeth can be found in the mouth.

Dentists recommend to make appointments for your child since the first teeth appear. This means in the first year of life. And then regular 6 months checkups are recommended. Good oral health must begin before permanent teeth emerge. That is a certainty.

You can start to clean the teeth of your child as soon as the first baby tooth appears.  The baby teeth should be cleaned with a soft toothbrush and with water. Beginning with the age of 2 years old until 7 years old, you can start to use toothpaste (only use a small pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste).

Dental care from an early age is important for preventing tooth decay.Teach your kid to start flossing early. The best time to start flossing is when your child’s back teeth touch each other. This usually occurs around age 3.

After your child learn how to have a good oral hygiene, you should also teach them to eat healthy in order to avoid cavities. You can:

Offer fewer snacks, or give your child healthy snacks, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. The sugars found in many snacks like cookie, candies, soft drinks, dried fruits, pretzels combine with plaque to create acids. These aids attack the tooth enamel and may lead to cavities.

Encourage kids to drink water and to rinse their mouth with water at the end of their meals to wash out the sugars. This is especially important if they have eaten sticky treats, such as raisins or candies.

When chewing gum, choose a sugar-free chewing-gum.

A balanced diet is mandatory for your child to develop strong and healthy teeth. In addition to a lot of vitamins and minerals, a child’s diet should include plenty of calcium, phosphorus and fluoride.

To help your children protect their teeth and gums, teach them to follow these next simple steps:

Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste; 

Floss twice a day in order to remove plaque between teeth, before it can turn into tartar;

Eat healthy food;

Make sure that your child drinks water which is fluoridated;

Take your child to the dentist for check-ups at least twice a year.

As a conclusion, oral hygiene at children is very important. Baby teeth are as important as permanent teeth are and parents should teach their children to take care of their teeth and gums. In addition to this, regular checkups must become a way of life and must be done on a regular basis. In case you need further information, do not hesitate to call Dr. Arhiri.

References:
https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/life-stages/childrens-oral-care/oral-health-for-children
https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/life-stages/childrens-oral-care
http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/HealthandWellness/DentalCare/Pages/Teeth-Dental-Care.aspx
https://www.dentalhealth.ie/children/toothdevelopment.html
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/basic-dental-care-infants-and-children#1
https://www.webmd.boots.com/oral-health/guide/dental-health-your-childs-teeth