One of the most common dental questions that new mothers have is, “When do I first take my baby in for a dental checkup?” Your baby’s 20 primary teeth are already in the jaw at birth and began coming through the gums around 6 months. Because of this, the ADA recommends a dental visit before they turn one. Try to schedule the first dental visit when the first tooth appears. The purpose of this first visit is for the dentist to examine your baby’s mouth to check growth and development and also to help make you child comfortable visiting the dentist from a young age. There are many ways to help make the visit a positive experience for your child. The first is schedule the appointment in the morning when your child is rested and cooperative. The second is to be a strong parent and keep any anxiety or concerns you have to yourself. Your child can and will pick up on your emotions. At the visit, your dentist will examine the mouth for injuries, cavities and other problems. Your dentist will also let you know if your child is at risk of developing tooth decay and give you tips for baby’s dental hygiene as they clean the teeth. They will also inform you about teething, pacifier use or finger/thumb sucking habits.
Advanced Dental Professionals
Thursday, August 25, 2016
A guide for keeping up with your oral hygiene from expecting to adulthood- Baby’s first Dental Visit
One of the most common dental questions that new mothers have is, “When do I first take my baby in for a dental checkup?” Your baby’s 20 primary teeth are already in the jaw at birth and began coming through the gums around 6 months. Because of this, the ADA recommends a dental visit before they turn one. Try to schedule the first dental visit when the first tooth appears. The purpose of this first visit is for the dentist to examine your baby’s mouth to check growth and development and also to help make you child comfortable visiting the dentist from a young age. There are many ways to help make the visit a positive experience for your child. The first is schedule the appointment in the morning when your child is rested and cooperative. The second is to be a strong parent and keep any anxiety or concerns you have to yourself. Your child can and will pick up on your emotions. At the visit, your dentist will examine the mouth for injuries, cavities and other problems. Your dentist will also let you know if your child is at risk of developing tooth decay and give you tips for baby’s dental hygiene as they clean the teeth. They will also inform you about teething, pacifier use or finger/thumb sucking habits.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
A guide for keeping up with your oral hygiene from expecting to adulthood- The joys of teething
A baby’s first front four teeth began to appear through the gums when they
are around 6 months, sometimes it takes up to 12-14 months. During the teething
stage of your baby’s life, your baby may become fussy and sleepless and
irritable, lose their appetite or drool more than usual and have sore or tender
gums. If your baby has a fever or diarrhea while teething or continues to be
cranky or uncomfortable call your dentist or physician. Some useful tips for
helping during this period of time include gently rubbing the gums with a clean
finger or a wet gauze pad. Teething rings for them to chew on can also help. There
is the idea that you should stop breastfeeding your baby when their teeth come
in. This is not true, you should stop breastfeeding when you think it is best
for you and your baby.
Primary Teeth Eruption Chart
Thursday, June 2, 2016
A guide for keeping up with your oral hygiene from expecting to adulthood- Caring for your child’s teeth from infancy to Age 3
Infant oral health helps protect your
baby’s teeth for the years to come. Primary teeth help your child to chew and
speak and hold a space in the jaws for permanent teeth that are growing under
the gums. If a primary tooth is lost too early, the permanent teeth could drift
into the empty space and make it difficult for the permanent teeth to come in which leads to crooked or crowded teeth. This is why it is important for your child
to have good oral hygiene that starts right after birth. After the first couple
days after birth, wipe the gums with a clean, moist gauze pad or washcloth. Repeat
this every time you feed your baby. Usually your baby’s first four teeth start
to appear around 6 months, but sometimes it can be up to 12-14 months, and most
children will have a full set of 20 primary teeth by age 3. Decay can occur as
soon as the teeth start to appear. Tooth decay in infant and toddlers teeth is
usually referred to as “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.” This usually affects the
upper front teeth. You may be thinking, “What causes this?” The most common
cause is when teeth are exposed to sugar drinks for a prolonged time. Breastfeeding
can cause cavities because like formula, it contains sugar. Tooth decay also
occurs if you put your baby to bed with a bottle. Tooth decay can also come
from cavity-causing bacteria in your saliva being passed from you to your baby.
Usually this occurs if you put your baby’s feeding spoon in your mouth or
cleaning a pacifier in your mouth before you give it back to your baby.
Insufficient fluoride can also increase risk for tooth decay. There is no need to
worry though because there are plenty of preventative habits that can help
decrease the chance of tooth decay for your baby. The first is to make sure you
are not sharing saliva with your baby either through feeding utensils or by
licking pacifiers. After each feeding, wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, damp
washcloth or gauze. When your baby’s teeth come in, start brushing them with a
child-size toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste (size of a grain of rice) until
the age of 3. Only put milk, formula or breastmilk in bottles. Don’t fill the
bottle with sugar water, juice or soft drinks. Before putting your child to bed
or down for a nap make sure your baby finishes their bottle. Only use clean
pacifiers, don’t dip in in sugar or honey. Encourage your child to switch from
a bottle to a cup by his/her first birthday and discourage ongoing use of sippy
cups. Thumbsucking is normal for infants but it should be stopped by age 3-4
before it causes problems like crooked teeth or bite problems and also changes
in the roof of the mouth. Thumbsucking can also cause these problems if done
for an extended period of time. When
your baby start eating solid foods, make healthy choices that will help with
the development and growth of your child’s teeth like fruits and vegetables.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
A guide for keeping up with your oral hygiene from expecting to adulthood- Help your baby’s teeth as you help your own
Monday, April 18, 2016
A guide for keeping up with your oral hygiene from expecting to adulthood- Pregnancy Dental Visits
Thursday, March 3, 2016
A guide for keeping up with your oral hygiene from expecting to adulthood- Expecting?
Thursday, January 21, 2016
A guide for keeping up with your oral hygiene from expecting to adulthood- Introduction
Advanced Dental Professionals wants to help you along your way to achieving the best oral hygiene possible from when you first are expecting all the way to adulthood. We feel that it is very important to take preventative steps and learn habits that will benefit your child's health during development. The information that will be addressed is approved by the American Dental Association. We hope you find this information beneficial for you and your child.
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