• 07 JUL 18
    • 0

    The Importance of Early, Regular Dental Visits

    Young boy toddler watching a dental hygienist teach him about brushing his teeth on a dental model

    If you’re a new parent, congratulations! Your new role will bring many joys, challenges and responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to ensure your child maintains good oral health. This includes visiting the dentist regularly and caring for your child’s teeth between dental visits. Early dental visits are very important for infants to ensure their mouth stays healthy as they grow.

     

    Your Baby’s Teeth

    Many parents don’t know when the teeth come in for babies unless they have had a child before. This often leaves parents constantly waiting for that first tooth to come in. However, we do know that most babies begin to get their first tooth between 6 and 12 months. Depending on genetics, an infant can get a first tooth at 3 months or they may be more than a year old without any teeth.

     

    However, by age 3, your child should definitely have their baby teeth. If not, it’s best to get them in to see the dentist. With each child, you will see a pattern when it comes to the teeth erupting in the mouth. That pattern is often the same for most children. The two front teeth on the bottom erupt in the mouth first, followed by the two front teeth on top. The next teeth to come in will be the teeth to the sides of those 4 front teeth, and so on towards the back of the mouth. An infant can get multiple teeth at once, or they can come in very slowly, one at a time.

     

    Young child (girl) that is having her mouth looked at by a dental hygienist

    Teething and First Dental Visits

    The process of getting the baby teeth is known as “teething”. This is not the creation of the baby teeth, but simply when the teeth start to poke through the gums. Teeth are formed while in the womb and lie deep in the jaw bones. Over time, the teeth will shift down, eventually poking through the gums. Teething can be hard on little ones and can cause swollen, tender and sore gums. An infant may be irritable up until age 3 because of these incoming teeth.

     

    The American Dental Association recommends that every infant see a dentist within the first 6 months of getting their first baby tooth. After that time, an infant should continue to see the dentist biannually (meaning every 6 months) for routine dental exams and cleanings. Your child may not need a thorough dental cleaning until they are older, but the exam is very important. Dental problems are best fixed when they are caught early-on. This is because the primary—or “baby”—teeth play a crucial role in dental development.

     

    Why Do We Have Baby Teeth?

    Even though the baby teeth will fall out after a few years, they are still incredibly important to your oral health for life. The baby teeth are vital to the development of the jaws and for guiding the permanent teeth into place in the pre-teen and teen years. Because an infant’s mouth is small, the teeth must be small as well. However, a child will grow after a few years and so will their mouth. When the baby teeth start to fall out, a child has grown large enough for the adult teeth to start growing in.

     

    Infants with missing baby teeth or those that lose the baby teeth too early will need to have dental spacers put in their mouth. Why? The adult teeth that are still in the gums could shift into the wrong places if there are spaces and gaps in the baby teeth. When a child has all of their baby teeth (20 of them), those baby teeth stay in specific positions. When they fall out, the adult teeth can come into the mouth in the right place. If they come in a bit crooked, teens get braces. The important part is making sure an infant and child’s teeth stay healthy and free of decay before they are ready to fall out. This is why brushing and flossing has to happen at home several times a day and why regular dental visits are also so important.

     

    Young boy having his mouth looked at by a dentist

    Benefits of Regular Dental Visits

    When your infant first gets a tooth, you need to start brushing that tooth. There are many small gum brushes and infant toothbrushes that are small and work great for an infant’s mouth. Infant and children toothpastes are made specifically for children and are safe for use. At home, make sure you are putting about a rice-sized amount of that toothpaste on an infant brush and brushing your child’s tooth. That’s even if they only have one! Then, make sure to schedule regular dental visits.

     

    The most important part of the first few dental visits is for an infant to become comfortable for a dentist. When this relationship is established early, and dental visits happen biannually, children will grow up naturally knowing they need to visit the dentist. Parents will be alongside infants for visits for several years, and infants can even be in a parent’s lap for their exams. With regular dental visits for infants:

    • They can avoid tooth decay that can lead to premature tooth loss.
    • Toddlers can become familiar with dental visits, leading to less dental phobia as they grow.
    • The baby teeth can come in correctly, setting a patient up for great oral health for life.
    • Children learn early how to properly take care of their oral health.
    • Bite and alignment issues can be caught early, preventing extensive procedures later on.

     

    Getting Started

    New parents often have many questions about their baby’s health and oral health. When teeth begin to come in, it can be hard to know what to do and when. Regular dental visits and a good relationship with a pediatric dentist can ensure your infant’s teeth come in correctly and that they stay healthy. Don’t simply guess at what to do with your baby’s teeth. Call Dr. Evanson’s office today at (720) 409-0008 and learn how to get started with baby dental visits, brushing the baby teeth and more!

     

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