As parents, we play an active role in our child’s health. An essential component in overall health and well-being is good oral health, no matter what age.
Tooth decay is the most common disease among children. It is also preventable. Our child’s health can be affected when the child experiences pain when eating and can make it difficult for the child to concentrate in school. These problems can also cause the child to miss days at school. Proper dental not only prevents tooth decay but it also prevents the child from systemic illnesses. It can expose the child’s body to many germs from the environment. Germs or bacteria that enter the mouth can go into the blood stream and cause many illnesses.
Prevention starts at home with good habits, including healthy eating habits and daily cleaning of the teeth. Many of these good habits include in thorough brushing, flossing and seeing your dental professional regularly. Children, who learn at an early age learn how to take care of their teeth properly, will continue to practices good hygiene later in life and will result in fewer dental problems. It is recommended that children from the age of one should visit a dental professional regularly to ensure optimum oral health. In most cases, a dental visit every 6 months will catch small problems early on.
The following link provides valuable information on how to properly care for primary teeth and new permanent teeth.
Parent’s Guide to Oral Health for Children
This chart indicates when baby and permanent teeth come (or erupt) in most children. Children start to lose their primary teeth at around age 6 and continue to lose these teeth until they are about the age of 12. This chart give you approximate ages when this starts. A parent should monitor the teeth when they come in. If there are any concerns about the eruption of baby or permanent teeth, then they should see a dental professional to discuss this matter.