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Australian Dental Association
A baby’s primary (baby) teeth are just as important as their permanent teeth. Baby or primary teeth help a young child to learn to chew
and speak properly and maintain the correct space in a child’s gums to allow for the eruption of their permanent teeth.
Primary Teeth
• Primary or baby teeth start to form in the jawbone before birth.
• A baby’s first primary tooth usually erupts at about six months of age but this can happen as early as birth or as late as the child’s first birthday.
• The average child has a full set of 20 primary teeth by the age of two to three years.
• The first visit to the dentist should be within six months of the eruption of the first tooth or by the child’s first birthday.
Teething
Most babies are irritable when new teeth break through their gums.
Signs and symptoms:
• Frequent crying and crankiness
• A slight fever
• Reddened cheeks and drooling
• Appetite loss and upset stomach
• Diarrhoea
• Sucking or gnawing on toys
• Pulling the ear on the same side as the erupting tooth
It is very important not to ignore symptoms such as fever and diarrhoea. It is
recommended that they are treated as unrelated symptoms to teething and to seek
medical advice to eliminate other causes.
• Offer your child a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, lean meats and dairy products.
• Limit sugary snacks such as lollies, fruit and muesli bars, biscuits, dried fruit, cordials, juices and soft drink.
You need to make sure you clean your child’ s teeth morning and night, as even many
healthy foods contain high amounts of sugar.
Importantly, a healthy diet must be complemented by good oral hygiene - brushing
and flossing teeth and regular dental check-ups. Daily flossing and brushing greatly
reduces the risk of tooth decay.
How to Brush Your Baby’s Teeth
• Wipe baby’s gums with a moistened soft cloth once a day.
• Once baby teeth appear use a baby’s toothbrush with a small head and soft, rounded bristles.
• Up to 18 months, brush their teeth with plain water after the last feed in the eening.
• Special low fluoride toothpastes can be introduced from around the age of 18 months.
• Only use a smear of toothpaste and teach your child to spit out the toothpaste after brushing.
To help relieve the discomfort of teething, the ADA suggests:
• Washing your hands and then gently rubbing your baby’s gum with a clean finger .
• Give your baby a teething ring or wet washcloth to bite.
• Teething rings can be chilled in the refrigerator before use to help manage gum swelling and pain. (Do not put teething rings in the freezer).
• Giving your baby non-sweetened rusks to chew on.
Signs and symptoms may appear and disappear over several days. Ask your dentist or
pharmacist for advice before using any pain reliever specifically created for babies and
toddlers. Never give aspirin to a baby or young child.
Thumb Sucking
Thumb sucking is a natural reflex in babies and young children. Most children lose
interest in thumb sucking and dummies at two to four years of age. Children who
continue to suck their thumb or fingers after the permanent teeth have appeared risk
developing crooked teeth, especially if the sucking is forceful or frequent. Also, speech
defects may arise, especially with the “s” and “th” sounds. Gently encourage your child
to give up thumb sucking. See your dentist for advice if your child cannot stop thumb
sucking by the end of the first year at school.
• Store all toothpaste out of reach as some children love the taste of toothpaste and will eat it.
• From around the age of four to five children should begin to learn how to brush their own teeth.
• Until around age eight when children have the manual skills to effectively clean their own, tooth brushing should be a combined effort by parents and children
Early Childhood Caries:
Flossing
As soon as your baby develops their first tooth, they are at risk of dental decay, which is
known as Early Childhood Caries (ECC). The following tips can help prevent ECC in your
child:
• If your baby has teeth, it’s best to avoid settling them to sleep overnight with a breastfeed or bottle of milk, sweetened flavoured milk, cordial, soft drink or fruit juice. Bacteria feed onthe sugar in these drinks and form plaque acids on teeth, which eat into the tooth surface and cause decay.
• Encourage your baby to learn to drink from a toddler cup from 12 months of age.
• Don’t allow your child to take a bottle of milk or other sugary drinks to bed.
• If your baby needs to suck on something to settle them to sleep, offer a dummy rather than a bottle.
• If your baby has a breastfeed or bottle of milk before bed, gently wipe down their teeth with a moistened cloth before putting them to sleep.
• Avoid giving your baby or toddler frequent snacks - three meals and two snacks per day is ideal to meet dietary needs.
Diet plays a significant role in the health of your child’s teeth.
Flossing can be done a minimum of twice weekly at about age two and a half, in areas
where the teeth are touching. Flossing helps remove decay causing bacteria from
between their teeth and keeps their gums healthy. Slide the floss between the teeth and
gently work it up and down, against the surfaces of each tooth. Do not snap the floss
down between the teeth as the floss may damage the gums. After flossing, have your
child rinse with water, then brush your child’s teeth.
Toddler Taming
• If your toddler resists brushing or cannot sit still for two minutes, then try these suggestions:
• Consider a battery-powered brush, which adds novelty to cleaning their teeth
• Sing nursery rhymes or play a favourite song while you help your child brush their teeth.
• Use a combination of “show and tell” methods. For example, you could brush your teeth
as your child imitates you; then next time, tell your child how to brush while you watch.
• Make flossing and brushing as much fun as you can.
What food contributes to dental decay?
Foods high in refined carbohydrates (sugar), such as concentrated fruit snack bars,
lollies, muesli bars, sweet biscuits, some breakfast cereals and sugary drinks and
juices can contribute to dental decay, especially if eaten often and over long periods.
Highly refined packaged foods such as savoury crackers and chips can also have high
levels of carbohydrate (sugar).
Tips to help minimise dental decay in your child’s teeth:
• Your child should enjoy a variety of nutritious foods, especially foods rich in calcium
and low in acids and sugars.
• Enjoy two healthy snacks a day such as fruit and a small portion of cheese – milk and
hard cheeses such as cheddar have protective qualities to help prevent dental decay.
Encouraging healthy eating and drinking habits and good oral hygiene
in your child is the best way to help them have healthy teeth for life.
Dr Lena Lejmanoski
Chair, Oral Health Committee
Australian Dental Association (WA)
For more information on caring for your baby’s teeth visit the Australian Dental Association’s website: www.ada.org.au