Children have many milestones in their lives, even when it comes to their teeth! We often get asked questions on what to expect. We’ve narrowed down our top 5 questions of “When should my child start…?”
Tooth eruption (when a tooth comes in) does not have an exact timeline. Typically children will have their first tooth at about six months of age. Some children can get their teeth earlier (4 months) or even later (1 years old). It’s a wide range of when this will occur, but on average it is close to or around six months. The first tooth to erupt is usually one of the bottom center (central) teeth. If you are concerned about your child’s dental eruption, visit a pediatric dentist or pediatrician for further evaluation.
As exciting as it is to get their first tooth, it becomes even more exciting to lose that first tooth… here comes the tooth fairy! Like getting a first tooth, children will lose their first tooth in a range of ages. For most children, this happens around age six. Again, some can lose teeth as early as five or as late as eight. Which tooth is the first to go? The first one that came in, that bottom center (central) tooth!
As stated, those pearly whites show up before you know it. So we often get asked by moms, what should I be doing? It’s never too early to get an infant familiar with brushing their teeth. Starting with a finger brush, infant toothbrush or small headed toothbrush with a smear of toothpaste brushing twice a day can help start good habits early, and keep those teeth clean and cavity free!
In accordance with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) guidelines, a child’s first dental visit is recommended at the age one. First birthday equals first dentist visit! Children at this age have most of their baby teeth and it’s a great chance to introduce infants to the world of dentistry. Pediatric dentists will be able to discuss with parents oral health and tips to have a cavity free future.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the use of fluoride toothpaste when the first tooth erupts. It is important to keep the toothpaste minimal – the size of a grain of rice – and gradually increase the amount of toothpaste as the child gets older. Fluoride has been found to have substantial positive effects in reducing tooth decay.
We hope you found the answers to these questions helpful. If you have any other questions, feel free to mention them in the comments section and we will answer them in a future post!
Photo credits:
flickr photo by sethstoll shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license
flickr photo by chefranden shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
flickr photo by c r z shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license
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