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How can I help my baby have healthy teeth?
The habits your children learn as babies
will help them keep their teeth for life. Good habits promote
good health.
During pregnancy it is really important for
you to have a dental check-up to make sure that your teeth
and gums are healthy. This is because babies are not born
with the decay-causing bacteria. The bacteria is passed to them from others, especially parents. This can happen through kissing,
food tasting and cleaning their dummy in your own mouth.
Really good cleaning of your own teeth and gums every
day will help to stop passing bacteria to your baby and help keep your baby's teeth healthy. As a parent, have regular dental check-ups.
When will my baby get their teeth?
The teeth will usually start to come through
between 3 and 15 months of age. Usually the front teeth come
through first, the back ones later. By the time your baby
is two and a half years old all 20 first teeth should
have come through.
When your child is about six years old, new teeth called
the "six year old molars" will pop up at the very back.
These new teeth are adult teeth that have to last for the
rest of your child's life.
What will I do when my baby starts to get teeth?
As soon as baby's teeth begin to come through
clean them with either a small toothbrush or a clean face
washer. Be sure to do this at least once a day.
How can I help at teething time?
Giving your child something cold to chew
on helps. You could try using a teething ring from the fridge.
If you give your child teething rusks, make sure they don't
contain any sugars and stay with them while they suck or chew
them.
First teeth are very important because they:
- allow your baby to chew more solid food
- help in the development of your baby's speech
- make baby look good
- keep space for when the adult teeth are ready to come
through.
What causes holes in my baby's teeth?
The biggest cause of holes in babies teeth is putting them
to bed with a bottle that has a sugary drink or fruit juice
or even milk in it—in fact anything but water. This can
cause what is called "bottle caries". Letting your
baby walk around with these drinks in a bottle, or a training
cup, all day also causes holes.
Why?
The sugary drinks, milk and juice lie around the teeth
all night, and maybe all day, slowly rotting the teeth away.
This can happen so quickly (maybe just a few months) that
the teeth may look like they have come through rotten because
the decay starts near the gum. We could call this toddler
tooth decay.
How can I stop my baby getting holes in their teeth?
Follow this checklist to help your baby have healthy teeth for life:
- Use the bottle only when your baby is hungry. When they
have had enough to eat, take the bottle away.
- Encourage your baby to use a cup as early as possible
- Please don't let your baby eat lollies and sugary foods
between meals, although something sweet at the end of a
meal is OK. It is a good idea to read the labels on all
foods to see how much sugar they contain.
- Clean your baby's teeth every day.
- Look in your child's mouth regularly to check for any
problems.
- Take your baby for a dental check-up when they are about
two years old.
- Remember to keep your own teeth and gums healthy.
If you don't have fluoride in the water supply you should
ask your dentist or dental therapist for advice on other possible
ways to provide enough fluoride to make your child's teeth
tough.
When teaching your child how to brush their teeth, seat them
on your lap facing away from you and brush their teeth from
behind, using a small soft toothbrush and junior toothpaste.
Should I let my child clean their own teeth?
When they are able, get them to brush every day using a small, soft toothbrush and only
a very small amount of toothpaste—just a smear for babies
and increasing to the size of a small pea when your child
is about six years old.
Where can I get more information ?
Talk with your family dentist or look at the following websites:
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