When New Teeth Arrive

Your little bundle of joy is born with twenty teeth. These teeth are still buried deep in their gums. These teeth will break through the gum line over time. Teething usually starts at around six months, but this can vary from child to child.

Teething is generally uncomfortable for the child. This discomfort lasts for a total of seven or eight days per tooth. In this post, we’ll look at how you can help your child feel more comfortable during this trying time.

Tips to Help Your Child Cope With Teething

Try the following tips:

• Gently massaging the gums: Wash your hands first, or use a soft, moist cloth.
• Use a teething ring: These should be kept in the refrigerator, not the freezer. The cold soothes the pain for the child. Be sure to check all the care instructions so that you clean the ring without damaging it.
• Teething biscuits or rusks: If your child has started to eat solids, and is over six months, these can be helpful. Make sure that they don’t contain sugar.
• Use analgesics sparingly: Paracetamol is your best choice for small children. If the pain is very severe, you can use a low dose of Ibuprofen instead. Just ensure that the child has eaten before giving them Ibuprofen.
• Dry off the drool: The drool itself is not harmful. The problem is that the constant moisture can irritate the skin.

Tips to Steer Clear Of

Several products on the market could put your child in danger. Avoid the following:

• Amber teething necklaces: Amber necklaces have been misused for teething. Amber is said to have analgesic properties when it touches warm skin. The problem is that the child is likely to chew on them and could be strangled by them.
• Teething gels: These seem like a heaven-sent product. They are effective at relieving pain. You do, however, have to avoid gels that contain Salicylate, or Aspirin. Aspirin should not be used before the age of sixteen because it can cause Reye’s Syndrome.
• Products containing Benzocaine: Benzocaine is too powerful to risk using it on children.

Final Notes

Seeing your child in pain is discomforting. Fortunately, the pain is fleeting. There are a few great tips in this post about how you can help your child. Our best advice? Keep up the gum massages – research shows that massage is more effective than using teething gels.

What Vitamins are Good for Children’s Teeth?

Maintaining oral health calls for much more than daily brushing and flossing. The food you eat plays an integral role in having a healthy mouth and gums. Here, we look at some of the most important vitamins for your child’s teeth and gum health: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is one of the best vitamins for overall health. It promotes a sufficient flow of saliva, which naturally cleans teeth of unhealthy acids.

It also prevents dry mouth, which is a primary cause of gum disease. Vitamin A supports the production of healthy mucous in the mouth. The mucus forms a protective coating on the gums and cheeks, making it less prone to infections and diseases.

You can find Vitamin A in foods such as eggs, fish, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. It combats inflammation and promotes healing of gums. It achieves this by stimulating collagen production in the body.

Collagen helps in the repair of damaged cells and accelerates the healing process. Citrus fruits, like grapefruit, kiwi, and oranges, are rich in Vitamin C. These fruits are also highly acidic. Make sure you rinse your mouth out with water after eating them.

Your children can also find ample Vitamin C from Brussels sprouts, capsicums, and potatoes.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium in the body. Calcium is essential for healthy teeth and bones. The vitamin also makes your child’s teeth stronger.

The human body naturally produces Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. It is also present in foods, such as fatty fish, Portabello mushrooms, and canned tuna. You can also encourage your child to consume milk, juices, and cereals that are Vitamin-D fortified.

Other Tips

In addition to giving your child foods rich in these vitamins, encourage them to brush at least twice a day and floss regularly.

It is also important to schedule regular appointments with a pediatric dentist. The dentist will examine your child’s teeth for any issues and clean them professionally to keep teeth strong, healthy, and attractive.

Why Are my Kid’s Teeth Yellow?

Many parents of 6- and 7-year-old kids wonder why their children’s permanent teeth are yellow. There are several potential causes of yellow teeth in kids. These causes can be either intrinsic (internal) or extrinsic (external).

Read on to find out why your kid’s teeth are yellow.

Why Children’s Teeth are Yellow

Primary teeth are naturally brighter than permanent teeth. Besides having a thicker enamel, permanent teeth also have denser dentin (the layer beneath the enamel). The fact that the dentin is yellow gives adult teeth a somewhat more yellow color than the primary teeth.

The yellower color of permanent teeth is perfectly normal and may not be as noticeable after all the permanent teeth have come in. There are also extrinsic causes of yellow teeth in kids, which include:

• Poor diet– Many foods can cause staining of the teeth’s outer layer. Diet, combined with poor brushing practices typical of small children, can lead to yellowing of teeth.

• Supplements and chemicals– Iron supplements and other metallic salts are a significant cause of tooth-staining in kids. Chlorhexidine, a common chemical used for eliminating dental plaque, can also cause temporary teeth discoloration.

You can prevent extrinsic causes of teeth-yellowing with proper oral hygiene and regular dental checkups.

How to Whiten Your Kid’s Yellow Teeth

Here are some practical ways to eliminate staining and brighten your kid’s teeth:

• Good oral hygiene– As kid’s teeth grow and thicken, they will lose some of the yellow shade caused by dentin showing through the enamel. Nonetheless, regular brushing and flossing will ensure the teeth are plaque-free, and the gums are healthy.

Consider investing in a spin-brush. These brushes are more efficient for kid’s teeth than ordinary brushing. They clean the crevices and eliminate surface stains more effectively.

• Provide a healthy diet– Avoid sugar-rich and carbonated drinks because they cause tooth staining. Tea and coffee are also not good for your child’s teeth. Moreover, sour candies and highly acidic foods can cause enamel erosion, eventually exposing the dentin. Exposed dentin results in discolored teeth because dentin is naturally yellow.

When Should Kids Start Flossing?

You should start flossing your child’s teeth as early as they develop their primary teeth. Between the ages of two and six, when the teeth begin to fit tightly together, you should start getting your kid into the habit of flossing. Helping your child to floss regularly emphasizes the importance of the practice.

You can do this up to the age of ten when they’ll have mastered the skills to floss on their own.

The Importance Of Flossing

Normal brushing techniques cannot rid the mouth of the food particles and plaque lodged in spaces between the teeth and under the gums. Flossing is effective in cleaning those hard-to-reach areas. Flossing also helps to:

• Neutralize bad breath
• Polish tooth surfaces

To enjoy these benefits, make sure your child flosses at least once a day. Each flossing session should last two to three minutes.

How to Floss Your Child’s Teeth Properly

Start by tying the dental floss into small circles on both ends of the strand. It makes it easy for your child’s fingers to fit into the loops and apply a firm grip on the floss. You should do this until they have learned to hold the floss on their own.

Here are the steps to follow to ensure proper flossing:

1. Take a piece of dental floss about 18 inches long and loosely wrap the bulk of it around your middle fingers. Be sure to leave one to two inches of floss in between.
2. Stretch the floss taut and gently slide it down between your kid’s teeth, using your thumb and index fingers.
3. Curve the floss around every tooth in a C shape, gently move it up and down, and up to the gum line. Unroll a fresh section of floss as you move from one tooth to the next.

These simple steps can help your child maintain good oral hygiene. It’s worth noting that your child’s gums may bleed at first. It should stop after a few flossing sessions as the gums become healthier.

If the bleeding doesn’t stop, however, make sure you talk to your family dentist.

Consequences of Thumbsucking

Thumbsucking is a common habit in infants. Babies derive great pleasure in thumbsucking. It helps them relax when they are bored, tired, hungry, or sleepy. Many children stop the habit on their own, usually by age 6 or 7 months or between 2 and 4 years.

While this habit isn’t usually something to worry about, prolonged or intense thumbsucking can have a range of side effects, including the following:

Malocclusion

Dental malocclusion is arguably the most severe consequence of thumbsucking. This is typically tooth misalignment that may be seen even when the mouth is closed. Two main types of malocclusion can result from thumbsucking:

• Open bite– This condition occurs when the bottom and top front teeth become direct outward. Consequently, your child’s front teeth won’t touch even if he closes his mouth completely.
• Overbite – This type of misalignment occurs when the upper front teeth become directed outward. This results in the top teeth covering the bottom teeth when the child’s mouth is closed. This condition can affect the shape of your child’s face and smile.

Speech Problems

The fact that thumbsucking undermines proper development of the palate, jaw, and teeth, the habit can also affect how your child speaks. It may lead to lisping and other speech difficulties, including the inability to pronounce hard consonants such as “D” and “T.”

These effects may cause your child to have a hard time communicating. Many kids with speech problems also experience increased levels of anger, frustration, and sense of isolation.

Skin Issues

Prolonged thumbsucking can lead to serious skin problems on the child’s favored thumb. Prolonged exposure of the skin to mouth moisture can make the skin more prone to other injuries. For example, the skin may crack, exposing your child to the risk of infections. Moreover, the moisture and pressure of thumbsucking can cause warping of the thumbnail, resulting in peeling or ingrowth.

Peer Teasing

If your child continues thumbsucking into school, he risks being ridiculed by his peers. This is because thumbsucking is typically considered a toddler activity.  This can affect a child’s social development.

If you are concerned about the effects of thumbsucking on your child’s teeth and overall well-being, consult with a pediatric dentist. The dentist will advise you on the best way to help your child stop the habit.