My First Tooth!

Many parents may not realize how important "baby" teeth really are, not only for esthetics, but also for function and to hold places for the permanent teeth. Therefore, hygiene-both brushing and flossing-is extremely important for children. When brushing a child's teeth, using toothpaste with fluoride is fine, but only place a match head amount of paste on the brush. Also, it is important not to put a baby to bed with a bottle of milk or juice as this practice can lead to severe tooth decay. In addition to good oral hygiene, fluoride is the best tool in the fight against tooth decay because it strengthens the teeth; therefore, parents should check with their water district to see if the water is fluoridated. If not, their paediatrician or dentist needs to give parents a prescription for a fluoride supplement for children ages 0-13 years old.

A child's first dental appointment should occur 1 year after birth or 6 months after their first tooth erupts. Generally, the first visit is just an exam and sometimes a cleaning because we do not want the child to feel threatened or scared. Hopefully, by creating good experiences in the beginning, children won't grow up being afraid of the dentist.

Here is a general tooth eruption timeline for infants, ages newborn to 3 years: At about 6 months of age, the lower central incisors (bottom jaw front teeth) generally erupt. These are followed by the upper incisors and both maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) lateral incisors. By the first year, 8 incisors should be present. At about 15 months of age, the first primary molars (back teeth used for grinding food) erupt. At about age 2, the canines are present. Shortly thereafter, the second primary molars erupt. By 3 years of age, all of the primary teeth are generally present. Please note that these are average ages: some children's teeth erupt sooner and some erupt later.