A toddler will develop his or her full set of 20 primary teeth between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, which means that this is a critical stage for setting your child on the correct path towards proper dental care.
During this time, a pediatric dentist’s office should be a place that your child begins visiting regularly. If you live in the Johns Creek area, look no further than Children’s Dental Zone for your toddler dentistry needs.
The first step to proper dental care for toddlers is to bring your child in for his or her first dental visit around the time of their first birthday, i.e., within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth. The reasons are as follows:
- Your child will meet the pediatric dentist and start becoming accustomed to the idea of visiting us every 6 months for a regular checkup. This should help decrease fear, resistance, and other common childhood reactions to dental visits.
- We will carefully assess the development of your child’s primary teeth, jaw structure, and other crucial aspects of their dental health.
- Although bottle and sippy cup use should have stopped by the age of 1, we will continue monitoring your child’s teeth for any signs of baby bottle tooth decay.
Tips from Our Johns Creek Pediatric Dentists
A regular cleaning of the mouth should have begun long before your child begins teething. After the appearance of the first primary tooth, however, you must clean it and the entire mouth with damp gauze or a washcloth after every meal. This method should be sufficient for the first 6-8 teeth, as front teeth erupt first and are easier to clean.
Developing healthy eating habits early will help protect your child’s dental health throughout his or her life. Establish a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, primarily whole grains and low-fat dairy products, lean protein options, and non-sugary drinks. Also, discourage snacking as much as possible, as many snacks contains large quantities of sugar.
Sucking on thumbs and/or pacifiers is a normal reflex for children of this age, as it helps them feel calm and secure. This habit generally stops between the ages of 2 and 4, yet it can still lead to early problems with your child’s bite and tooth alignment – particularly if done vigorously. As such, discourage thumb-sucking and pacifier use by preventing the underlying causes. If that fails, consult your dentist for other effective solutions.
To learn more about dentistry for toddlers in Johns Creek, GA, please do not hesitate to contact your pediatric dentist at Children’s Dental Zone today!