Some Thoughts on Baby Teeth (The Primary Dentition)

In my last blog post I talked about children and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This got me thinking about "baby teeth" and their importance. I thought this would be valuable for expectant parents or parents of young children. The primary teeth are needed for chewing - so that children can progress from a liquid diet to a full spectrum of foods, for speech - many sounds that we make such as "t", "s", "d" "f" "l" and others rely on teeth and tooth position, for appearance, and for the proper development and eruption of the permanent teeth. The primary teeth start to develop during the first 3 months of pregnancy. As such it is very important for the pregnant mother to keep all her doctor visits, eat enough calcium in her diet, avoid non-prescription medications, not smoke, and avoid alcohol. The first baby teeth erupt at about 6 to 7 months. They are normally the 2 lower incisors. By 12 months there are usually 8 to 12 teeth present and by 2 to 3 years the full complement of 20 teeth should be present. One of the uncomfortable things that children experience as the teeth erupt through the gum is teething pain. This is the feeling of the teeth "cutting" through the gums. This can be accompanied by mild fever, a rash around the mouth, and ear infections. A cool teething ring can be very soothing. It is also very important to start cleaning the teeth as soon as they appear in the mouth. You can use a gentle toothbrush made for infants, or initially even a gentle cloth or cotton guaze can be used. If your child drinks from a bottle it is important not to let them sleep with the bottle, especially if it contains juice or milk, two sources of sugar. In the next few postings I will continue with this line of thought. With proper care most dental problems are preventable. This can help achieve the goal of "healthy teeth for life". Yours for excellent health, Dr. Marty Frankel, 5775 Yonge St., Suite 1000, Toronto, Ontario, 416-770-8526, drmartyfrankel@rogers.com, www.drmartyfrankel.com