Teething
A baby’s first tooth usually erupts between the ages of 6 to 12 months. A child’s gums will often be sore and tender until the age of 3. There are methods that can help relieve the irritability of sore gums, such as rubbing the gums with a clean finger, a wet cloth, or the smooth edge of a cold spoon. You can also purchase teething rings that tend to work well, depending on your child. Be wary of teething biscuits; they often contain sugar that is not good for your child’s teeth.
Baby Teeth
The baby teeth, or primary teeth, play a critical role in the dental development of a child. Without baby teeth, a child cannot properly chew or speak clearly. Baby teeth are also essential to guiding the permanent teeth that will come in later. Because of the important role of primary teeth, infants that have missing teeth might need a space maintainer in order to hold the natural space open. Without this maintainer, the permanent teeth could come in crooked and uneven. If your child has missing teeth, we recommend that you schedule a visit with Dr. Amit B. Patel. At Ashburn General Dentistry, we believe that it is important to address your child’s dental health early in order to ensure healthy permanent teeth down the road. If you are looking for a children’s dentist in Ashburn, Virginia, we invite you to contact our office to schedule an appointment today. We love seeing your children’s healthy smiles!
A Child’s First Dental Visit
A child’s first dental visit should occur before his or her first birthday. Young children may be scared of the dentist, so it is important to know that at Ashburn General Dentistry, we have a kind and gentle dental team that always has your family’s best interests in mind. Dr. Amit B. Patel makes sure to have good communication with the parents so that everyone is comfortable and knowledgeable about the treatments that are provided. If you have any questions about our complete family dentistry in Ashburn, Virginia, we invite you to call our office today.
Good Diet and Healthy Teeth
In order to grow strong and healthy, it is important for children to have a healthy, well-balanced diet. Many of the snacks that children eat are foods that cause cavities, so try to encourage your children to eat healthy foods such as vegetables and cheeses, which promote the growth of strong teeth.
Infant Tooth Eruption
An infant’s teeth will actually start to form before birth. Around the age of 3 to 4 months, the baby teeth will start to push up through the gums, starting with the lower middle incisors (front teeth). Most of the primary teeth will usually erupt by the age of 3. Beginning at age 5 to 6, permanent teeth will start to erupt to replace the baby teeth. If your child’s permanent teeth have not begun to come in by age 8, you may want to come into the office for an examination.
Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
Here at the office of Dr. Amit B. Patel, we are committed to fighting against the effects of baby bottle tooth decay. Tooth decay in babies can be significantly decreased or prevented by not allowing children to breastfeed or bottle-feed while they sleep. When an infant is sleeping, he or she produces less saliva, so there is less to carry away and fight the dental plaque that occurs after visits to the dentist. If you must give your baby a bottle in order for him or her to sleep at night, make sure to fill the bottle with water instead of formula or breast milk. If you have questions about baby bottle tooth decay or other topics in pediatric dentistry in Ashburn, Virginia, please call our office today.