Toothspot - All About Teeth

Pacifiers and Teeth If you notice that your child is beginning to suck their thumb or fingers during their first 3 months, you can introduce them to a pacifier. However, it’s important to buy a pacifier with a nipple made of rubber to avoid any trauma to the gums. Don’t allow them to use the pacifier around the clock; allow them to use it only when necessary.  It’s a good idea to check the pacifier daily for signs of wear. Like everything else, they don’t last forever. Your child could potentially choke on a piece of ripped pacifier. Also, it’s a bad idea to hang the pacifier around your child’s neck with a string. They could easily become entangled and choked. Choosing a Pacifier  Only purchase pacifiers which come as a single molded piece. Avoid using pacifiers assembled from multiple parts; should pieces become loose, there’s a risk of choking.   You should choose a pacifier which resembles the natural nipple as closely as possible. In rare cases, pacifier use can

How to Avoid Cavities in Your Kid's Teeth Children 6 to 8 Months Avoid using the bottle as a means of comfort. Also, avoid prolonged periods with the bottle in their mouth. The longer the teeth are in contact with sweet or acidic foods or drink, the greater the likelihood of decay.  Ideally, water should be given for thirst. Always consider the acidity and sweetness of anything you place inside your child's bottle. Cleaning Teeth - As soon as their first tooth erupts, start cleaning their teeth everyday. Teething - Stay away from using lemon juice on the gums once your teeth begin to emerge. The high acidity will lead to demineralization of the erupting teeth and put your child at an early disadvantage for decay.  For more info., see my blog on teething.  Pacifiers - Don't dip them in any food stuffs (ie. honey) or liquids.  Their first cup - Consider introducing the cup between the ages of 6 to 8 months. Children 18 to 21 Months Ideally, water should

First Visit To The Dentist Your child's first visit to the dentist should be before their first birthday . Bringing your child early to the dentist can lead to a lifetime of good oral care habits by properly acclimating your child to the dental office. There’s alot you can do to ensure your child’s first visit to the dentist will be a pleasurable one. Children are often full of questions on their first visit to the dentist. Entertain their curiosity by talking about the upcoming visit. Whatever you do, Don’t mention ‘needles’ or ‘that it won’t hurt’ - this may frighten your child. Instead, tell them that the dentist will count their teeth to see how many there are and maybe take some pictures of their  teeth as well. Your dental office or local library may have a book or two which you can read to your child about their first visit to the  dentist. Meeting the Dentist: Allow your child to accompany you when you visit the dentist. The dentist may have time to offer yo

Dental Conditions Abscess An abscess is an infection around the root of a tooth. An abscess on a deciduous (baby) tooth can affect the development of the permanent tooth. It is often referred to as a gum boil. An abscess generally appears as a pimple on the gum around the affected tooth. When pressed there may be a discharge of pus. The child should be taken to a dentist to have the tooth treated. Aphthous Ulcers Aphthous ulcers occur in approximately 20 per cent of the population and are characterized by painful, recurrent solitary or multiple lesions or ulcerations. They are usually a few millimeters in size. There is no preference for age, sex or race. Aphthous ulcers usually heal spontaneously in two to three weeks. If multiple lesions resembling aphthous ulcers occur, accompanied by a fever, an infection with the herpes simplex virus should be considered. This is often seen in babies and small children. Treatment for apthous ulcers is limited and confined to restric

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or Baby Bottle Syndrome describe a condition involving the rapid decay of many or all of the baby teeth. It’s the leading dental problem for children under 3 years of age. Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by the prolonged exposure of a child’s teeth to sugar-containing liquids.  The practice of putting a baby to bed with a bottle, which the baby can suck on for hours, is the major cause of this dental condition. The upper front teeth are the ones most often affected; they're usually some of the first teeth to erupt into the mouth and thus have the longest exposure time to sugars. The lower front teeth are usually not as at risk because they're protected by the tongue as the child sucks on the bottle. Causes Of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay: Falling Asleep... With A Bottle Containing Formula, Juice, Or Milk With A Pacifier Dipped In Honey While Breast Feeding When children fall asleep with the above, liquids pool around th

 Children - Thumb and Finger Sucking   Questions often arise concerning infants and non-nutritive sucking, that is sucking thumbs, fingers, pacifiers and other objects. Numerous studies indicate that most children spontaneously discontinue sucking their thumbs and fingers between the ages of 2 and 4. Children often combine a sucking habit with another repetitive activity such as carrying a personal blanket or toy while sucking their thumb or playing with their hair. Tired, stressed or hungry children are more likely to suck their thumbs. Generally, sucking on fingers, thumbs and toys is healthy and normal through infancy . Effects Of Thumb Sucking: The effects of thumb sucking on deciduous teeth are usually totally reversible up until the age of 6 to 7 years when the permanent teeth start to erupt. Beyond the age of 7, dental problems may occur due to changes in bone structure. Extensive sucking of fingers or thumbs has a tendency to push the front teeth out of alignment causing tee

Teething Teething refers to the eruption of the deciduous (baby teeth) and permanent teeth. It's a natural occurrence and usually happens without any problems. However, some children may feel discomfort before their first tooth erupts (at about 6 months); some may feel discomfort with the eruption of each of their 20 baby teeth. Teething occurs between 6 months and 24 months of age although it can occur earlier. Normally the bottom two incisors (lower front teeth) will come in first, followed by the top four incisors (upper front teeth). When teething, children may be irritable and may place objects or fingers in their mouth and bite on them. Drooling may increase and the child may be very choosy about foods or even refuse foods altogether. Their gums may appear tender and swollen; often the cheeks near the affected gums will become red. For some children, their teeth appear without much fuss at all. But all toddlers are not so lucky. Some may become extremely irritable. So

  Tooth Eruption Dates In Children Background: It's important to note that eruption times vary form child to child just as the individual growth rates between children vary. Normally, no teeth are visible in the mouth at birth. Occasionally, some babies are born with an erupted incisor (neonatal tooth), but these are not true teeth and are lost soon after birth. The first baby teeth to erupt are usually the lower two front incisors (mandibular central incisors) at about 6 months of age. They are followed by the 4 upper front teeth. The remainder of your child's teeth will appear periodically, usually in pairs on each side of the jaw, until all 20 baby teeth have come in at about 2 1/2 years of age. The last teeth to emerge are the top two molars (maxillary second molars at 30 months). The complete set of baby teeth are in the mouth from 2 years to 5 3/4 or 6 years of age (when no permanent teeth are present). Shortly after your child's 4th birthday, their jaw and facial b