Baby Teeth: 5 Must-Known Facts for Parents

Seeing their child's first tooth is a delightful moment for parents. It is the first sign of their little infant slowly getting ready to start eating semi-solid foods, and as subsequent teeth appear - to eat proper, solid food. A whole new world is about to begin for the little one, which is exciting as well as overwhelming for all the adults around.

Some facts and information one should know about baby teeth / milk teeth / deciduous teeth:

1. Milk teeth are temporary, and when they appear they are actually creating space, alignment and positioning for the permanent teeth to follow. In case a baby tooth falls prematurely, it may impact the alignment of the other teeth and possibly weaken them. A paediatric dentist is the best person to guide you on the next steps, in case such a situation arises.
2. When they refer to 'teething problems', it literally means the discomfort, pain and uneasiness a baby feels when the milk teeth start surfacing. Most babies will be cranky, irritable, drool, pull their own ears, try to chew into toys or simply throw tantrums. Their distress is real, because for the first time ever their soft gums are experiencing something hard pushing itself out. One of the ways to make it easy for your little one is to breastfeed them more often. You can also keep a chilled washcloth or sterilised rubber ring that they can chew on. The cold surface will soothe the pain temporarily and calm the child. Teething biscuits are another option to help make the little one feel less distressed.
3. Baby teeth require the same care as permanent teeth. Being negligent, by assuming that these are temporary, makes the children more prone to cavities, bacteria and infections, akin to permanent teeth. It is important to follow a good oral hygiene routine, which includes brushing twice a day, rinsing the mouth regularly and avoiding harmful foods like aerated drinks or processed snacks.
4. Thumb-sucking, pacifiers and having milk from a feeder bottle can feel very comforting for babies, but can affect the milk teeth. This is because children tend to continue these habits even after the permanent teeth have appeared, which slowly causes alignment issues. It is a good idea to wean off these habits, by distracting them and rewarding them when they start giving up on sucking the thumb, pacifier or bottle. 
5. Babies get only 20 milk teeth, unlike adults who have 28 to 32 teeth (depending on whether or not wisdom teeth have appeared). Even though milk teeth begin developing while still in the womb, the first teeth actually start appearing only when an infant is 6 to 12 months old.

The first teeth come at the front of the mouth, and the last to grow out erupt as molars. They usually fall out in a similar order, with the front teeth falling first. The replacement of teeth starts when children are around 6 years old and continues till they are 12 or 14 years.

Your paediatric dentist is your best friend during this journey. By having regular checks, your child's dental health will always be taken care of, and any issues that might occur will be sorted through timely intervention.

For any queries or doubts regarding your baby's milk teeth, speak to one of Apollo's paediatric dentists on: 18001020288