Why is oral health important for my infant?
Oral
health is important for a child's growth and development,
overall health and well being, and self-esteem. Tooth decay can
lead to pain, infection, malnutrition, poor weight gain, and
premature loss of teeth, which can affect the development of
permanent teeth.
Oral health problems in an infant's mouth, such as
bleeding gums and cavities, increase the chance for these problems
in permanent teeth. Good oral health habits -- started at an
early age at home -- increase the chance for a healthy mouth
during your child's young life and carry on through
adulthood.
My baby does not have teeth; do I need to clean my
baby's mouth?
Yes. It's a good idea to get in
the habit of cleaning your baby's gums.
To clean your baby's mouth:
- Lay your baby in your lap with his or her head close to your
chest.
- Gently, but firmly, rub a clean and damp piece of gauze or
washcloth along both the upper and lower gums.
- Clean the gums at least two times a day -- after breakfast
and after the last feeding of the day. Even better, clean your
baby's gums after every feeding.
What is teething?
Teething refers to the time when
baby teeth (also called deciduous teeth or primary teeth) appear.
Generally, teething first occurs between 6 months and 24 months of
age. While this process is uneventful in some children. For others,
it causes quite a bit of discomfort and irritability.
Why are baby teeth important?
Baby teeth are
important because they allow an infant to eat a good diet, allow
for proper jaw growth, give the face its form and appearance,
assist in the formation of proper speech, and most important, act
as "space savers" for adult teeth.
What are some symptoms that my child might be
teething?
Symptoms include:
- Increased irritability
- Placing objects or fingers in the mouth and biting down on
them
- Increased saliva or drooling
- Loss of appetite or becoming choosy about foods
- Tender and swollen gums
- Rash on cheeks or redness in the area of the cheeks near the
affected gums
- Restlessness
- Ear pulling, which might be a sign of teething or possibly an
ear infection (Make an appointment to have your child seen by your
family doctor or pediatrician.)
Teething does not result in fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. If
your child experiences these problems, contact your doctor.