Caring for your child’s teeth
As a parent it is your duty to make sure that your child learns the essential skill of caring for their teeth. By starting at an early age you can make the process of them cleaning their teeth an easy one. Your child can then go on to develop beautiful pearly whites, which will not only improve their looks but will also go a long way to protecting your wallet from dental costs.
How teeth develop
Your child’s teeth begin to take shape before they are even conceived. The first set of teeth to come through will be their baby teeth, eventually followed by their permanent teeth.
- Baby teeth - Although your child’s teeth will have begun to develop before they were even born, the teeth will not show themselves until after about six months. There will typically be about twenty baby teeth, and all will have shown themselves by the age of three. Even though the baby teeth will eventually be replaced by permanent teeth you still need to make sure they are given good dental care. The development of your child’s teeth plays an important part in their speech and digestion. By the age of twelve, the last milk tooth will likely have fallen out.
- Permanent teeth - When the permanent teeth come through, there are typically about thirty-two. Permanent teeth usually start to come through at six years of age, and will all have shown themselves by about the age of thirteen. Wisdom teeth will come through before your thirties, though they may not come through at all. No new teeth will come through if a permanent tooth falls out, which is why you should ensure the dental care of your child.
What can you do to protect your child’s teeth?
Your child’s teeth require care and attention from an early age. Below are some tips and advice to help you care for your child’s teeth:
- Your child will experience some pain when their teeth are coming through. This is completely normal. Unless you feel that something is wrong, there should be nothing to worry about. If you are unsure, then you can contact your dentist for advice.
- Make sure that your child does not eat or drink too many sugary products. This will only lead to erosion and decaying of the teeth, even if they do clean their teeth on a regular basis. Fizzy drinks and sweets should be avoided, and you should look out for hidden amounts of sugar in other foods.
- Your child should attend the dentist on a regular basis. You can start by taking them with you for your dental check ups, which will demonstrate to them that there is nothing to fear about the dentist. Children typically require more regular check ups than adults.
- The intake of foods high in acidity should also be limited. Foods high in acidity include some fruit, such as oranges.
- Fluoride supplements may be necessary in the protection of your child’s teeth. Ask your dentist for further advice.
- Make sure your child cleans their teeth twice a day. Your child should not wash their mouth out with water after brushing their teeth as this will tarnish the effects of the toothpaste somewhat.
- It is also advised that your child uses mouthwash and floss, both essential to the dental care of their teeth.
- You should get your child to use toothpaste with a minimum of 1,000ppmF (the amount of fluoride). This is just about the right level of fluoride intake for children.
Start a routine for life
By getting your child into the act of cleaning their teeth at an early age, you are providing then with a basis by which they can adhere to for the rest of their life. In the early days, you should supervise your child and make sure that they learn the practice of brushing their teeth correctly. Encouragement is essential. You can also begin to add the acts of using mouthwash and flossing to their dental care activities. You may still want to check up on your child’s dental care techniques as they age to make sure they are not faltering.
