Signs of Teething and Early Dental Care for Children in Etobicoke

When a baby’s first tooth may erupt differs, some children may not have any teeth until the first birthday. However, at approximately three months, babies start exploring with their mouths, have increased saliva, and start putting their hands in the mouth. Many parents may wonder whether the baby is teething. However, the first emerges at six months.

The anterior lower teeth are generally the first to emerge, and most children will have all their baby teeth by three.

Massaging Sore Gums

Teething is not discomforting for babies, and most parents can tell when the baby is teething. Babies might experience discomfort in the area where the tooth is emerging. They will display signs of swelling and tenderness and drool more than usual.

Children’s Dentistry in Etobicoke, ON, suggests parents massage the child’s gums to help ease teething pain with clean fingers and offer teething rings without liquids, keeping watch over the child while trying to eat them. Teething biscuits are better avoided because they are not nutritious because they contain sugar and salt.

Parents might notice a slight increase in the baby’s body temperature when teething. However, it is not an indicator of needing treatment or infections. Parents can see the baby’s pediatrician for advice if the baby is uncomfortable. However, parents must refrain from using teething tablets, gels or necklaces around the infant’s neck as it is a choking hazard.

Adding Fluoride to the Child’s Diet

Fluoride, a mineral that helps harden tooth enamel to prevent decay, is beneficial for children when added to their diet. Fortunately, tap water with fluoride helps children strengthen tooth enamel. Children should receive a few ounces of water in a straw cup at six months. However, the dentist in Etobicoke advises against using bottled water because it does not contain fluoride.

Treating Teething Pain

Many techniques help treat teething pain. Although drugstores may offer numbing gels to alleviate teething pain, they are better avoided or used in moderation because they can affect the blood oxygen levels in the baby. Parents considering offering medications to the baby should receive advice from the child’s pediatrician or dentist before providing any medicines.

Brushing Children’s Teeth

After the baby develops their first tooth, the dentist advises adding a smear of fluoride toothpaste to a child-sized toothbrush when offering tips on child dental care for cleaning the child’s tooth. It helps if parents avoid putting the child to bed with a bottle because it results in baby bottle tooth decay.

After the child is three, parents can use a pea-sized grain of fluoride toothpaste on the toothbrush when brushing. The child must receive education to spit out excess toothpaste. Parents must ensure they provide toothpaste on children’s toothbrushes until they are six to prevent fluorosis while supervising children when brushing and flossing until seven or eight. Parents can presume children can brush and floss appropriately when they can write their names.

Dental Appointments Essential

Baby teeth will likely fall off by six or seven to allow the eruption of permanent teeth. However, it does not indicate children do not need child dental care because premature tooth loss can create a misalignment in the child’s mouth, making expensive orthodontic treatments necessary later. Therefore parents must schedule appointments with the Etobicoke Children’s Dentistry practice at six monthly intervals as the CDC recommends to prevent complications in the child’s mouth.

The CDC recommends children visit a pediatric dentist to establish a dental home by age one. The pediatric dentist can monitor the child’s teeth to ensure they usually emerge without dental problems. Parents can also receive advice on maintaining children’s teeth and guidance on their diet to ensure healthy foods that help fortify the teeth instead of sugary foods and beverages harmful to their dental and overall health.

Newborns will confront problems when teething and need help maintaining dental hygiene practices appropriately until they are seven or eight. Parents noticing teething signs must ensure their child gets early dental care to ensure their teeth develop as usual. Delaying dental visits until it is too late can make the child develop teeth incorrectly or become susceptible to infections that require expensive dental treatments to restore oral health. Therefore parents must start visiting a pediatric dentist soon after the child’s first tooth erupts or by their first birthday.

Parents with teething children wondering how to manage the signs can obtain help from Regency Dental Care, treating infants until adolescence to provide them with early dental care in Etobicoke. Early dental care ensures the child develops healthy teeth to enjoy a lifetime of good dental and overall well-being from early.