The development of babies is of prime concern for parents and teething and dental care play an important role. Children’s teeth need to be protected starting from milk to permanent ones because they are important in chewing food, forming words and sounds, and when babies start speaking they affect the way their jaws grow.
Good dental care commences before the emergence of the first tooth. Parents are advised to wipe babies’ gums with a clean damp cloth after every feeding to stop a build up of bacteria.
A baby is expected to have the first tooth between the age of four and seven months. This is called teething and is the process of teeth growing and breaking through the gums.
The two front teeth at the bottom of the jaw usually come out first followed by the top front four. Most children will have their full set of first teeth which are 20 in total by the time they are around two-and-a-half years old.
The most common symptoms when the baby is teething are red, swollen, or puffy areas on the gum. Drooling and putting fingers, or fists in the mouth more than usual and fussy and irritable mood are also other signs of teething.
Discourage habits
Parents can seek medical help to relieve the discomfort that an infant goes through during the teething period. They can also use home remedies such rubbing the baby’s gum with clean fingers, giving a carrot, or a recommended toddler’s teething ring to bite on. This helps to sooth the gum and comforts the baby.
Sucking for babies is natural reflex and it is not unusual for them to suck thumbs, fingers, or a pacifier. However it is best to discourage these habits even with baby teeth as it may affect the development of the jaws, and alter the alignment of the adult teeth.
It is advised to take children to visit the dentist by their first birthday for a check up and to avoid the development of cavities (tooth decay). This is caused by eating a lot of sugary foods such as cookies, sweets and sodas. Dentists recommend that children should be encouraged to eat teeth friendly snacks which include lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, cheese and crackers.
By the time babies are 12 to 18 months, brushing of teeth twice a day using a soft brush and a pea-sized amount of paste should be introduced. This will foster good habits that promote healthy teeth in the child.
The whole family including babies should see a dentist twice a year. Parents should seek help from a dentist on the right way of brushing youngsters’ teeth, and if they suspect a child may have tooth decay.
—Dr. Linus Ndegwa
Dental Surgeon,Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi
