Things you should know about early dental care

One of the most anticipated landmark parts of a child’s growth is seeing the first tooth. When this occurs, understanding the basics of the teething process is paramount, along with preparing for early dental care and knowing the early signs of dental problems.

In the following section, we’ll cover what the teething process entails, including its symptoms, treatments, and appropriate oral care. Keep on reading to find out more about the delays in teething as well.

Teething in a nutshell

Teething is the process of tooth eruption, which is actually a normal development and not a medical problem. A child’s first tooth usually comes through between the ages of six to eight months. However, tooth growth begins in the womb and some babies have been born with a tooth or teeth. In general, the set of baby teeth fully completes by the age of three years old.

Symptoms of teething

It’s vital to be wary of the symptoms of teething. Various studies have explored the symptoms of teething, which generally include the following:

● Irritability
● Gum irritation
● Mouthing behaviours (hand-sucking and pacifier-chewing)
● Drooling

It’s a misconception that teething can result in fever, diarrhoea, and ear infections among children.

Remedy for teething symptoms

When your child is experiencing teething symptoms, there are a handful of treatments you can use. These include the following:

● Teething toys or chilled teething rings – for relief
● Paracetamol – for pain (only use the medication as directed)

Early dental care

It’s essential to perform good oral care as soon as the first tooth comes through. The goal is not only to clean the teeth and gums but also to establish a healthy dental care routine for the child. Here are some parts of early dental care:

● Rubbing the tooth and gums with a wet washcloth.
● Transitioning to the use of a small, soft toothbrush.
● Cleaning the teeth twice a day.
● Using an age appropriate toothpaste

Delays in teething

If your child doesn’t have any teeth by 16 months, this can be an indication of underlying dental problems. There are a handful of factors that can cause teething delays, which include the following:

● Hereditary – it might be something which runs in the family genes
● Premature or low birth weight babies
● Nutritional deficiency

Conclusion

For the most part, you should contact a dentist within 6 months of a child’s first tooth arriving.

If you need to contact a dentist for your child’s teething or first teeth in Chester-le-Street, get in touch with us today to discover how we can help!