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The following article was published in Your Health Magazine. Our mission is to empower people to live healthier.
Janet V. Johnson, MD
Dental Health and Your Infant
Loving Care Pediatrics

Dental Health and Your Infant

Dental Health and Your Infant

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood in the United States. Untreated tooth decay can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning.

Even though your baby doesn’t have teeth, you should still clean his or her mouth. It makes for a good idea to get in the habit of cleaning your baby’s gums soon after birth. Although there will be a little fussing at first, your infant will get used to having the mouth cleaned like other parts of their body. Many children grow to enjoy brushing their teeth as part of their daily routine.

When the teeth come into the mouth use a soft-bristled, infant-sized toothbrush. Unless your dentist/doctor recommends otherwise, start using toothpaste without fluoride. For children who are younger than three years, use only a “smear” of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) on the bristles of the toothbrush.

Follow these steps at least twice a day once after breakfast and once after the last feeding of the day.

Teething

Between 3-9 months, your infant’s baby teeth will begin to erupt. The process usually starts with the lower two front teeth (incisors). The timing varies considerably among children. However, the order is very predictable.

After the four incisors come in on both the lower and upper jaw, the first molars erupt. They are followed by canines (eye teeth) and then the second molars further back in the mouth. Most children have a full set of 20 baby teeth by age 2 or 3.

Teething may make your child irritable or fussy and may cause restlessness, drooling or loss of appetite.

You can ease your child’s teething discomfort by

Giving him or her a hard or cold teething ring /frozen washcloth to chew on

Applying pressure over the gums by rubbing them with a clean finger

Sucking Habits

It’s completely normal and healthy for a baby or young child to suck on a thumb, finger or pacifier. It is not something you need to be alarmed about or discourage.

Children usually give up sucking habits on their own by the time they are 3-4 years old. If they stop the habit at this age, the shape of the jaw is usually not affected. The teeth should grow in normally. However, some children find the sucking habit hard to break. Children who are still sucking on a pacifier, finger or thumb when their permanent (adult) teeth start to come in are more likely to have bite problems.

To help an older child break a sucking habit, it is important to explain clearly why the habit can be harmful. Be supportive and encouraging, and praise the child’s efforts to end the habit.

If the child sucks a finger or pacifier because of a stressful situation, it can be very helpful to address the source of the stress.

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