What you need to know about oral and dental health in children
A newborn baby’s teeth are hidden under the gum. When the baby reaches the sixth month, the teeth begin to erupt themselves and begin to appear on the gums. This process may differ from baby to baby. The first teeth to erupt are the front two teeth in the lower jaw. Then, four teeth erupt from the front of the upper jaw and two more teeth from the lower front jaw.
When the baby is 3 years old, there are 20 milk teeth lined up in his mouth. The spaces between milk teeth become important during tooth replacement. The cavities create enough space for the larger permanent teeth to erupt. In addition, these gaps between the teeth facilitate the cleaning of the child’s teeth.
Why are milk teeth important?
The fact that milk teeth will leave their places to permanent teeth over time does not mean that daily routine cleaning and regular physician checks will be neglected. The protection and care of milk teeth is very important as they help the child bite and chew food, look sympathetic, speak correctly, maintain the necessary space for the permanent teeth and set the permanent teeth in their place.
Caring for permanent teeth in children
Until your child is 6-8 years old, he needs your help with brushing. You should help your child brush their teeth at least twice a day, in the morning and just before going to bed. You should be careful not to leave any food residues on the teeth (especially the molars). The recesses and protrusions on the molars are the surfaces that allow the residues to hold.
The connection of dental health with nutrition
When and how often your child eats is as important as what he eats for dental health. A balanced diet is important for long-term dental health (appropriately developing teeth and healthy gums). Bacteria in the mouth feed on these carbohydrates and form acid. The acid starts the formation of caries by affecting the enamel layer of the tooth. Frequent eating habits cause the mouth to remain acidic, making it prone to tooth decay.
Teeth should be brushed for 2 minutes
The most important meals for brushing teeth are breakfast and dinner. Sugary foods (honey, jam, molasses, hazelnut paste, cream chocolate, etc.) consumed especially for breakfast have an extremely high caries-forming capacity. After consuming these foods, the teeth should be brushed for 2 minutes.
The importance of parents in brushing teeth
Children take their parents as role models when it comes to brushing teeth, as in many other subjects. Rather than telling the child to ‘brush their teeth’, it is more effective for the child to watch the parents brush their teeth. It is necessary to gain the habit of brushing teeth with the child.