Everything You Need To Know About Your Child’s Oral Health

Prioritizing your child’s oral health from the beginning can save you time, money and stress in the years to come. Learn how to promote good oral health, how to take care of their first pearly whites, and more in this wrap-up on children’s oral health.

The Tooth Timeline

Babies are born with 20 primary teeth just under their gums. While these teeth vary in shape, size and location, they all work together for a purpose — to help kids chew comfortably, speak clearly and smile happily. They also help form and shape the mouth, jaw and face.

Erupting Baby Teeth

At around six months of age, baby teeth begin to erupt and continue to sprout over the next few years. As soon as a tooth appears, it's important to brush it. Use a small, soft toothbrush with a small dollop of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). Fluoridated toothpaste should be used once the child is six months of age.

Brush their teeth in the morning, before bed and within 20 minutes of eating or drinking something sugary.

Losing Teeth

Most children start losing their baby teeth around six years of age. But timing isn’t everything. What’s more important is the order in which teeth fall out and are replaced with permanent adult teeth.

Typically, the first baby teeth to fall out are the two bottom and two top front teeth. These are called the lower and upper central incisors. Usually, the lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars follow. Children lose their molars between the ages of six to 12. The first adult molars come in around the age of 6-7 followed by the second molars around the age of 12-13. By age 21, all 32 permanent teeth have usually erupted which include the third molars, commonly referred to as wisdom teeth.

“Pulling baby teeth is OK most of the time if they are loose,” shares Terry Norris, DMD, the lead consulting dentist for HRI Dental & Vision. “If you see a permanent tooth coming in behind a baby tooth, you should refrain from pulling and consult with a dentist.”

When To Take Your Child to the Dentist

A child should see the dentist by their first birthday provided some teeth are present.

“Visits starting at a young age help the child bond with the dentist and staff. They also allow the dentist to provide parents with nutritional and oral hygiene instructions,” shares Dr. Norris. “With proper nutrition and hygiene, a child will not experience dental decay. The fewer dental problems at a young age, the better the child will be. The key is prevention.”

After the initial visit, a child should visit the dentist twice a year for a preventive cleaning and checkup.

If a child loses a baby tooth early from decay or an accident, they should alert their dentist. Losing baby teeth early can create problems for permanent teeth. An adult tooth might drift to the open space, crowding other teeth and causing crookedness. Let your child’s dentist know if your child loses a tooth for any reason other than a permanent tooth coming in.

General dentists can treat children, so there is no need to find a special dentist for your child. If your child needs specialty treatment, your dentist may refer your child to a pedodontist, or pediatric dentist.

“A dentist can also help address early orthodontic problems such as crowding or skeletal issues early. This can prevent longer and more costly treatment during the teenage years,” Dr. Norris shares.

Common Questions: Pacifiers, Thumb-Sucking and Sugar

Even before baby teeth come in, parents should think about their child’s oral care. Prioritizing good habits and nixing bad ones can help promote good oral health now and in the future.

Pacifiers

Pacifiers can be a great tool for helping babies self-soothe – and when used correctly, can also be good for oral health. Select an orthodontic pacifier for the best oral health outcomes.

“Orthodontic pacifiers create a gentle expansion of the arches. This is beneficial since many children have a crowding problem,” shares Dr. Norris.

Most children will wean themselves off the pacifier and bottle by the time they’re two to four years old. If they’re holding on longer than this, it’s time for you to step in. Using a pacifier or bottle past the age of four can be detrimental to a child’s teeth and mouth shape.

Thumb-Sucking

Sucking on a pacifier, thumb or other object is considered a part of normal newborn development. It can even help with bringing proper tone to the tongue and jaw. Most kids grow out of thumb-sucking by the time they’re three years old, and it’s no cause for concern unless it continues to age four. As children get older, there is a concern with thumb-sucking causing oral issues such as tooth or jaw misalignment and even speech problems.

If your child sucks their thumb, let their dentist know at their first dentist visit and visits to follow. The dentist will then be able to keep an eye out for any concerns that need to be addressed as the child ages.

Sugar

“Sugar should be avoided as much as possible,” Dr. Norris shares. “It has no nutritional value and is a front runner in causing dental decay.”

If a child does consume a sugary food or beverage, it’s important to brush their teeth within 20 minutes. This will help remove the sugar from the teeth before plaque can form.

Dr. Norris recommends prioritizing slow-release carbohydrates such as vegetables to promote sustained energy and better oral health.