Baby Dental Care - Teething | Untreated decayed milk teeth

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Baby Dental Care » Teething

Babies teeth usually begin to appear around the 6th month but some may teeth as early as three months. The teeth tend to appear in a pat-tern with the first tooth being the lower left or right central milk incisor. Teething is marked by drooling, fretting, and chewing on things in an attempt to reduce the discomfort of sore, swollen gums. You may also notice your baby's nappies become messier than usual and he develops nappy rash.

You can help reduce the pain and swelling in the gums by giving him firm, smooth, cool, unbreakable objects to chew on. Massaging the inflamed gums with a clean fingertip may also help. Teething gel may help to numb painful gums. Some parents use homeopathic tablets to ease the discomfort of teething.

If your child cries persistently, you should consult a physician who may recommend some infant painkiller. Don't always assume that discomfort is the result of teething. Get a doctor to determine what the problem really is.

A teething child may seem less interested in feeding. This is be-cause sucking increases the blood flow and hence the swelling and pain in the gums. If he is old enough, offer fluids from a cup.

By 30 months, a toddler should have 20 milk teeth. Permanent teeth will start growing from around the age of 6, when the milk teeth start falling out.

Although temporary, milk teeth should not be neglected. Parents should teach their children to look after the teeth so that they are healthy and strong. Untreated decayed milk teeth can damage the permanent teeth that replace them. If the outer structure of the permanent teeth is damaged, they may end up looking stunted and odd. Milk teeth also affect the alignment of the permanent teeth.