Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- When should my child first visit the dentist?
- My child is over one year old and has no teeth. Should I worry?
- My child's permanent lower front tooth is coming in behind his
baby tooth. What should be done?
- My child sucks his/her thumb or
finger. What effect can it have on the bite, and when should I work
on stopping the habit?
- I have heard that a nursing bootle can cause
cavities on toddlers, at what age should I take my child off the bottle?
- What
are the signs of teething, and what can I do to make my child more
comfortable?.
- Why are baby teeth important? Don't they fall out?
- When can my child
brush and floss their own teeth?
1. When should my child first the dentist?
The first dental visit should be between one year and eighteen months
of age.
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2. My child is over one year old and has no teeth. Should I worry?
Even though most children that age have a number of teeth, some
children may have delayed tooth eruption. There is usually no concern
about this.
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3. My child's permanent lower front tooth is coming in behind his
baby tooth. What should be done?
If the baby teeth are moderately to very loose, there is no
immediate treatment. Patience is recommended. This is a normal
process. The
tongue will push the permanent lower front teeth forward. If the
teeth are
not very loose, your child should be seen to take an x-ray and
evaluate the
situation.
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4. My child sucks his/her thumb or finger. What effect can it
have on the bite, and when should I work on stopping the habit?
Most children stop sucking their fingers between the ages
of three to five. Sucking of a finger can have a significant
effect
on the
bite. Flaring
of the upper front teeth producing a protrusion, and backward
positioning of the lower front teeth are common. Also a crossbite
or narrowing
of the upper jaw can occur producing an openbite, where the
front teeth
don't touch.
The amount of these bite effects depend on the frequency, how
long the child does it each time, and intensity of the finger
habit.
If your
child continues
this habit past the time of the eruption of the first permanent
tooth. Then it can have a permanent effect on the adult bite.
The habit should
be stopped
before these teeth come in. From a preventive point of view,
infants should be given pacifiers, as they will do much less
harm than
finger habits, and
most children will discontinue their use earlier.
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5. I have heard that a nursing bootle can cause cavities on
toddlers, at what age should I take my child off the bottle?
Your child should stop using a bottle when they are old
enough to hold a cup. This usually occurs around one year
of age. After
this
age a child
should not be placed to sleep with a bottle because this may
cause dental decay, increase the incidence of ear infections,
and prolong
the use
of the bottle. If you put your child to sleep with a bottle,
the best way to
stop this habit is by placing only water in the bottle, or
progressively diluting it untill it is all water. Then being
firm with the
child. Juice or milk in a cup will not cause the severe decay
that a
bottle will. This
may cost the parents a bit of sleep, but it is important for
future dental health.
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6. What are the signs of teething, and what can I do to make
my child more comfortable?
The signs of teething are drooling, irritability, restlessness,
and loss of appetite. Fever, illness, and diarrhea is not
a symptom. If
your child
presents with the latter signs, they need to be evaluated
by his or her pediatrician. The best solutions to comfort
the child
is
to have
the child
chew on a cold or frozen rubber teething ring. Topical anesthetics
are not recommended.
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7. Why are baby teeth important? Don't they fall out?
Baby teeth serve the important function of eating, speech,
and esthetics (self image). These teeth not only help
form the developing
jaws,
but they hold space for the permanent teeth so that a
normal bite occurs.
The last
baby tooth falls out at about twelve years of age. A decayed
baby tooth can become so badly decayed that it can do
damage to the
permanent tooth.
At times severe infections of the face, head, and neck
can be caused by infected baby teeth.
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8. When can my child brush and floss their own teeth?
We recommend that parents brush their children's teeth
for the first five to seven years of life, since young
children lack the
manual
dexterity of
proper tooth brushing. The toothbrush should be a child's
size, with soft nylon rounded bristles. Toothpaste should
not be used
until the
child is
able to spit (three to four years of age) to avoid swallowing
it. A pea-sized drop should be dispensed by the parent
for young children.
Flossing should
be performed by the parent prior to brushing. Most children
lack the proper manual dexterity to floss on their own
until the age
of ten
and
will need
a parent's help and supervision.
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