Understanding your child’s teeth |

Understanding your child’s teeth

A complete guide for parents to understand importance of primary/ baby teeth

Our teeth are some of the most integral parts of the body. Just like adults, small humans (our kids) need to have healthy and strong teeth as well. For kids, teeth play an important role to maintain their overall health during their growing phase. Besides eating (digestion and food absorption), teeth are important for speech, forming the structure of the face and allocating the space for the permanent teeth to grow. As a parent, it is necessary to know in-depth information about your child’s teeth. So, we have compiled a useful guide for parents to understand their child’s teeth.

What is the first set of teeth called?

The first set of child’s teeth is known as deciduous teeth/primary teeth (baby teeth). These teeth are far more important to your child’s future dental health than we think. The stronger the first set of teeth will be, the easier your child will chew the food. It also has a good effect on the speech and early development of the child. In addition to this, this set of primary teeth acts as spaces for the permanent teeth to replace them and undertake their proper alignment in the mouth. If a primary tooth is lost due to any reason, the child may need to wear a space maintainer until the permanent tooth comes in. Otherwise, there is a chance that the tooth beside it may tilt towards the empty side, which may cause the permanent tooth to erupt in crooked.

At which stage does the tooth erupt and shed?

Primary teeth eruption and shedding

Upper teeth	Eruption	Shedding
Central incisor	8-12 mos.	6-7 yrs.
Lateral incisor	9-13 mos.	7-8 yrs.
Cuspid	16-22 mos.	10-12 yrs.
First molar	13-19 mos.	9-11 yrs.
Second molar	25-33 mos.	10-12 yrs.

Lower teeth	Eruption	Shedding
Second molar	23-31 mos.	10-12 yrs.
First molar	14-18 mos.	9-11 yrs.
Cuspid	17-23 mos.	9-12 yrs.
Lateral incisor	10-16 mos.	7-8 yrs.
Central incisor	6-10 mos.	6-7 yrs.

Permanent tooth Eruption

Upper teeth	Eruption
Central incisor	7-8 yrs.
Lateral incisor	8-9 yrs.
Cuspid	11-12 yrs.
First bicuspid	10-11 yrs.
Second bicuspid	10-12 yrs.
First molar	6-7 yrs.
Second molar	12-13 yrs.
Third molar	17-21 yrs.

Lower teeth	Eruption
Third molar	17-21 yrs.
Second molar	11-13 yrs.
First molar	6-7 yrs.
Second bicuspid	11-12 yrs.
First bicuspid	10-12 yrs.
Cuspid	9-10 yrs.
Lateral incisor	7-8 yrs.
Central incisor	6-7 yrs.

10 things every parent should know about their child’s teeth.

It is important to schedule dental appointments as early as 6 months old.
Try to prevent exposure to sugary foods and liquids to avoid tooth decay.
Speak to the dentist if the child has developed the habit of thumb sucking. It may lead to misalignment of teeth or orofacial function and structure.
Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as it erupts. Use soft bristles finger brush and gently rub the gums and teeth.
Brush your child’s teeth properly twice a day.
Use fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay.
Teach, supervise and motivate your child to brush on their own when you anticipate that they are ready.
Don’t pull or push the primary teeth when they feel loose. They will fall out naturally.
Incorporate healthy food into your child’s diet. Avoid sugar, soda, chocolates, and candies as much as possible.
Casually discuss the importance of good oral health and educate them about the importance of good dental health

When to visit a dentist?

To maintain good dental health, it is recommended to visit the dentist’s office twice a year. Regular visits are an essential part of dental and overall health assessment. Ideally, it is best to take your child to the dentist between six to twelve months of age. The earlier you begin the better it is for the child’s dental health. The dentist will be able to detect the problem at an early stage which is a lot easier to treat and less expensive to fix them.

Reasons for regular visits:

The dentist will reassure you that the measures you are taking at home are working and satisfactory.
Any early potential problem can be detected at early stage and can be fixed easily.
The child will get used to the dental clinic, dentist and staff and will be able to understand the role of the dental team in prevention.
Regular cleaning and monitoring will reduce the chances of cavities throughout the lifetime.
Preventative habits that are created at an early age, tend to stick with kids as they grow older.

How oral health is important from an early age?

It is really important for you as a parent to practice good oral hygiene and preventative practices yourself and introduce them to your child in the infancy phase. In your child’s early years, you must monitor and provide the dental home care by yourself. As they glow older, you can instruct, monitor, and motivate them to help maintain good oral health habits.

What does the first visit look like at the Clean Smiles Dental Hygiene clinic?

Our team is awesome with kids. We make sure that their experience with us is fun, comfortable, and pain-free for their pediatric dental treatment. Here are some steps we take to examine the child’s teeth and gums.

We will gently examine your child’s teeth and gums to see if there is any tooth decay or other problems.
We might need to take an x-ray to determine whether the facial bones and teeth are developing properly and to see if there is any hidden decay.
We provide customize dental hygiene care for kids and a fluoride gel/solution applied if necessary.
Our focus is always prevention from dental problems, even more so in kids. This is why we do provide sealants on newly erupted teeth on deep groves in chewing surfaces, this presents those vulnerable spots from cavities.

How to prepare the child for the visit?

Our Dentist, Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants are extremely friendly with little munchkins. We strive to create a fun environment to comfort the child at their dental visits. We recommend parents to discuss dental visit with their kids prior to their first visit. It is always a good idea to get excited so they can feel this energy and usually it gets kids excited as well. Even if parents have some time type of anxiety associated with dental visits, it is always recommended to try their best to not show it in front of their kids.

It is recommended to bring your child to the dentist’s office every six months. We will be extremely honored to examine your child and provide them dental care for their optimal oral health at our clinic. To book your appointment call (780) 800-6655 or request an appointment online by filling the form below.