When a baby’s teeth start to come in, it’s a cause for joy but also some worries. Although this is a time to celebrate because your baby can now start to bite some foods, it also brings a series of discomforts and upsets related to the eruption of teeth.
When Do Teeth Emerge?
The appearance of the first baby tooth can vary from child to child, but it usually comes in between the 7th and 8th month of life. Some children may have early dentition, showing baby teeth as early as 4 or 5 months old. The first teeth to come in are the lower front teeth, followed by the upper front teeth. What baby doesn’t look adorable with two little teeth? Starting from the 11th month of life, the other teeth begin to emerge, and the cycle of childhood dentition is usually complete by around two and a half years old.The eruption of baby teeth can be noticed by swelling of the gums, excessive drooling, and the baby’s discomfort. Usually, as the baby teeth come in, the child becomes restless and visibly irritable. This stage may cause physical symptoms such as:Changes in stool: The baby’s poop may become softer and have a different smell, or the baby may become constipated.Unstable sleep: The baby may have more trouble sleeping than before.Fever: The temperature may rise a little, but in some cases, fevers can reach up to 39°C.Lack of appetite: Suddenly the baby no longer wants to eat or nurse, because the swollen gums hurt and make swallowing or chewing uncomfortable.All these symptoms can last for a while, but it’s important to take your child to the doctor periodically in cases of high fever for a thorough evaluation. We can say that baby teeth cause discomfort for both baby and mom during this stage.
How to Care for Baby Teeth?
Most parents think dental care should only begin after teeth appear or when solid foods are introduced, which leave residue behind. This is a big mistake, because teeth should be cleaned and cared for even before they come in.From birth, babies feed on breast milk or formula, and milk residue sticks like plaque inside the mouth and needs to be cleaned out with gauze or even a cotton cloth soaked in filtered water.Besides ensuring proper hygiene, early cleaning helps the baby become accustomed to dental care, preparing them for brushing later on. Brushing from the first tooth plays a direct role in preventing potential infections in the area and cavities, and also helps the teeth come in because brushing can hasten the eruption through the gum.There are some products specially designed for babies, which can easily be found at pharmacies, supermarkets, and children’s specialty stores, that help with dental care. For little ones who don’t yet have teeth or only have the front ones, there is the option of a finger brush that fits on the mother’s index finger, and the cleaning is done with the help of filtered water.The procedure doesn’t necessarily require a finger brush and can also be done with gauze or a soft cloth moistened with water, as long as it’s done properly. For older children who already have molars, care needs to include a toothbrush to reach those teeth and remove any residue.
The First Toothbrush
The baby’s first toothbrush should have a small head and soft bristles; packaging usually indicates the appropriate age, and you can find brushes designed for your baby’s age group.
Suitable Toothpaste
In addition to a toothbrush, you’ll also need a toothpaste suited to the child’s age. Preferably, use fluoride-free pastes, since babies often swallow toothpaste, or may even eat it due to its pleasant flavor.Teach your child to spit out all the foam and toothpaste right after brushing, and to rinse their mouth with water. This practice may take a while—maybe even years—to become a habit. Only once your child can do this without swallowing any toothpaste residue should you switch to pastes that contain fluoride in their composition.
Fluoride
Excess fluoride intake can harm permanent teeth, causing stains and changes in tooth color. A visit to the dentist is recommended as soon as the baby’s first teeth come in. With proper hygiene, especially after nursing or a bottle, your child will be protected from early cavities and dental discomfort.
Baby Tooth Trauma
During falls, many injuries can occur, so it is extremely important for parents to know how to act, especially with teeth. Immediate attention after trauma to a baby tooth makes all the difference to the extent of the trauma and damage that could happen. Many parents don’t give much importance when a baby tooth is damaged or knocked, because they don’t realize how important baby teeth are to the health of permanent teeth.Baby teeth have a root with a canal that connects nerves and blood vessels directly to where the permanent tooth is forming. That’s why any trauma to a baby tooth, however small, requires a clinical exam and an x-ray to check for damage. Monitoring the tooth may take about a year and a half or until the permanent tooth comes in, when it can be confirmed that there was no problem.
What to Do After Tooth Trauma?
It’s impossible to stay calm when you see your child hurt and crying in pain. But in this situation, it’s necessary to keep calm, think rationally, and remember those initial steps that are essential in order to save your child’s tooth. If you have a trusted dentist, that’s even better, and you should contact them right after the incident for advice. But remember:
- If there is bleeding, try to stop it with a towel, gauze, or cloth until you can see the site of the trauma.
- If the tooth is “loose,” the root may be fractured, and an X-ray is needed to confirm it. That’s why care should be sought as quickly as possible.
- If trauma to a baby tooth causes it to be completely knocked out, the tooth will not be replaced, but the dentist will evaluate whether the permanent tooth was affected. If it is a permanent tooth, however, quick action increases the chances of reimplanting and saving the tooth. Remember, when a permanent tooth is knocked out by trauma, it should be kept in a container with milk, saliva, or saline solution until you get it to the dentist for reimplantation.
- If only a piece of the tooth broke off, immediately put the fragment in a container with milk, saliva, or saline solution and take it to the dentist. The fragment will be examined and, if possible, reattached.
- In some cases, after trauma, the tooth may simply disappear. If this happens, the tooth may have been pushed into the gum bone, called an intrusion. X-rays will determine the best course of treatment.
It’s very common for teeth that have suffered trauma to change color due to pulp hemorrhage, which means the blood vessels in the tooth’s canal have broken. The baby tooth may turn grayish, dark yellow, brown, or even purple. If not followed up properly, this small hemorrhage can turn into necrosis of the dental pulp, requiring even more complex treatment.Childhood traumas are very common, even if parents aren’t prepared for these scares. But the fact is, it’s always good to know how to act when an accident happens, as first aid is critical to better recovery. Baby teeth, just like permanent teeth, are real treasures and should be taken care of with the utmost attention and care, not only in emergencies.
Consequences of a Broken Tooth
Each case is unique and should be evaluated by a pediatric dental specialist. If a tooth falls out completely and it’s a baby tooth, there’s no need to worry since the permanent tooth will come in soon. With a permanent tooth, however, following the steps already mentioned is vital to make reimplantation possible, or if not, an implant tooth can solve the problem.In some cases, a large lesion may require stitches to resolve. In other cases, the tooth may be pushed up into the gum—an intrusion—requiring further tests for correct treatment, such as dental X-rays or CT scans, which will show the size of the damage as well as possible internal facial fractures.If the problem is simpler and just a chip—usually the tooth tip breaks from the knock—the issue can often be fixed more easily. The dentist will restore it with resin or take other suitable measures to reduce pain and sensitivity until a permanent restoration of the affected tooth can be done.In other cases, there’s no apparent damage, but the injury has affected the health of the tooth internally, and problems will show up over time. That’s why it’s important to visit a dentist for an assessment before problems start. After a blow, the tooth can weaken and fall out on its own or even darken, the result of bleeding inside the tooth. In the latter case, the problem can be fixed with a root canal.For little ones, a broken tooth may not have any effect at all, nor affect their self-esteem. Some even show it off as a trophy from their mischief. But as children get older, if the problem isn’t fixed, it can greatly affect their self-esteem. And it’s always worth noting that a missing tooth can really hinder speech development as well as chewing, especially during learning years. So extra care is always best, and avoiding accidents is always the best remedy, even if sometimes unavoidable!
When Do Baby Teeth Fall Out?
Baby teeth can loosen unexpectedly, and before you know it, there’s that surprise gap! Years ago, the typical age for baby teeth to start falling out was seven, but today’s reality is different.Children as young as 4 or 5 years old are already beginning to swap baby teeth for permanent teeth. The baby tooth becomes loose because the new tooth is pushing to come in. Usually, this process of replacing baby teeth with permanent teeth is complete by age 12. After age 18, wisdom teeth come in—hence the name.
