Interesting Facts About Baby Teeth That All Parents Need To Know

Parents often have mixed feelings about their baby’s teeth. On the one hand, you want your kid to brush their teeth properly and not develop any cavities. On the other hand, you know those teeth are temporary and will soon fall out anyway. Understanding baby teeth and how they work can help you take care of them better. You can consult with a Salina family dentist to learn more about your kid’s dental health. 

Most of the time, parents do not start caring for their baby’s teeth until their first tooth emerges. But, according to pediatric dentists, you should start cleaning your baby’s oral cavity with a soft, wet cloth from day one. Any lingering food in the mouth can result in bacteria formation and cause issues. 

Interesting facts about baby teeth 

• Oral care should begin before the baby’s first tooth comes out. 

Most parents do not seem to worry about their baby’s oral cavity before they develop a few teeth. However, cleaning the inside of their mouth is important even before their first tooth emerges. While oral problems in babies are uncommon, it is important to be careful and keep their mouths clean. The job is relatively easy. Just wipe their gums with a clean, soft, and wet cloth.

• Children develop 20 baby teeth. 

Children have fewer teeth than adults. While you may have 32, your child will only develop 20. Children develop 20 baby teeth that fall out one by one before they develop their 32 permanent teeth by age 12. The first tooth comes out when they are around six months old, although some kids may hit their one-year mark. 

• You can ease your child’s teething pain. 

As a parent, one of the things that will absolutely break your heart is hearing your child cry due to teething pain. You may be confused and not know how to help them. Fortunately, there are easy and safe ways to soothe their aching gums at home. First, clean your hands and gently massage their gums with your finger. Next, you can offer them cold items to chew on for relief. If nothing works, you can give them infant ibuprofen after consulting a doctor. 

• Bottles and thumb-sucking can be harmful. 

Parents often look at their babies sucking their bottles and thumbs and think it is normal and harmless. This is far from the truth. If your child’s thumb-sucking habit does not go away soon, they may experience alignment issues. Regarding bottle sucking, your baby’s mouth may have plaque buildup if they keep sucking on sugary drinks.