Both baby and permanent teeth have a specific function in your child's mouth. Long before your child gets his first tooth, it's important to wipe his gums with clean gauze after each feeding as early as a few days post-birth to remove plaque that can harm his vulnerable gums, says the American Dental Association. Good daily oral care leads to healthy baby teeth and a smoother transition when your child's permanent teeth begin to emerge.
The Teeth Emerge
Generally, your baby will cut his first tooth around the age of six months, says the American Academy of Family Physicians. This may be preceded by a period of drooling that may last as long as four months. The first baby teeth to erupt are the lower central incisors--the bottom front teeth--followed by the two front teeth, according to the American Dental Association. The upper lateral incisors--the teeth flanking the front teeth--then emerge, followed by the lower lateral incisors. Most children have all 20 baby teeth by the time they're 20 months old. Baby teeth are important for your child's speech development, as well as to ensure that he gets adequate nutrition, says the ADA. They also serve as placeholders in the jaw as the permanent teeth develop under the gums.
Problems with Baby Teeth
Until your child starts losing his baby teeth, he can still get cavities. Baby bottle tooth decay, sometimes called early childhood caries, can result in cavities, premature tooth loss and gum disease, cautions the ADA. Early decay typically affects the upper baby teeth, although the lower teeth may be affected, too. Baby bottle tooth decay is caused when your child's teeth are exposed to sweet liquids, such as fruit juice, breast milk, formula and even milk, says the ADA. Putting your child to bed with a bottle or pacifier dipped in honey or sugar encourages sugary liquids to pool in the mouth, making your child's mouth a haven for the bacteria that cause cavities. As soon as your child's first tooth emerges, he is at risk for early tooth decay, says the ADA. Gently brush the teeth with a small toothbrush and water until he's able to spit out toothpaste--usually around the age of two. Avoid giving your child sugary liquids, such as juice and soda, and limit sweet snacks. Use clean pacifiers, and don't put your baby to sleep with a bottle. The ADA states that children should be drinking out of a cup by age one.
Tooth Loss and Permanent Teeth
Around the age of six or seven, your child's first baby tooth will begin to wiggle. According to the Mayo Clinic, baby teeth are typically lost in the same sequence in which they came in--the lower central incisors followed by the top front incisors, then the lateral incisors, first molars, canines (cuspids) and secondary molars. By the time your child is 12 or 13, he'll likely have lost all of his baby teeth, which are replaced with larger, permanent teeth. The Mayo Clinic stresses the importance of good oral hygiene as permanent teeth emerge. Make sure your child brushes twice daily and uses dental floss once a day.
Wisdom Teeth
The last permanent teeth to come in are the wisdom teeth, or third molars. According to the National Institutes of Health, these teeth erupt between the age of 17 and 21. A common problem with wisdom teeth is impaction–the teeth fail to grow through the gums. This can cause the rest of the teeth to become misaligned and may even result in infection. In most cases, dentist recommend extraction of impacted wisdom teeth, says the NIH, which goes on to say that this is usually done before the age of 30, when the bones in the jaw are more flexible.
Other Problems with Permanent Teeth
Another common problem with emerging permanent teeth is malocclusion, known less formally as a "bad bite." Not only will your child not have a straight smile, the ADA cautions that crooked or crowded teeth can also lead to tooth decay, gum disease and loss of permanent teeth. The ADA advises that children be screened for the need for braces or other orthodontic appliances by the age of seven, so the path of the emerging permanent teeth can be guided into the correct position.
See a Dentist
The ADA recommends that your child get his first dental exam six months after his first baby tooth comes in or by his first birthday, whichever date occurs first. Not only will a dentist make sure no signs of tooth decay are present, you can receive instructions on how to clean and care for your child's teeth properly.
