Here’s something to think about: if baby teeth fall out anyway, does it matter how they’re treated? And since they fall out, do they really change a child’s overall oral health? The answers are less intuitive than you might believe. Find out a small bit about baby teeth, a condition called baby bottle tooth decay and what you can expect to see from your child’s progressing teeth below.
Baby teeth often begin to show at around three to nine months of age. This stage, known as teething, can be very painful for the baby, and they’ll probably let you know. If you detect an uptick in fussiness or irritability in your child starting at somewhere around nine months, they’re probably teething. Additional signs of teething include a loss of appetite and drooling.
Pacifiers, which are aptly named, can be utilized to help your child teeth extra comfortably. However, don’t make the mistake of licking the pacifier or dipping it in a sugary substance before giving it to the baby: doing so may end up developing baby bottle tooth decay, a disease characterized by cavities and dental wear down in children younger than 6.
To help your child remain as happy as possible while sustaining their dental health, wash their teeth and gums with a dental pad after they feed. This will help to avert the onset of baby bottle tooth decay and keep their teeth and gums cleaner. Additionally, you should take your child to our office for a cleaning before their first birthday.
For a visit in Hackensack, New Jersey, reach out to Dr. Eudoro Vallejo and the Advanced Family Dental Care team at 201-457-9595 now.