Your Child’s Dentistry

At your child’s visit, we will gently examine his or her teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child’s permanent teeth under the gums. We will clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will also make sure that your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Adverse habits like thumb sucking will be evaluated. Most important, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child’s teeth.

Deciduous Teeth (Baby Teeth)

The first baby teeth to erupt are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about six to eight months old. Next to follow will be the four upper front teeth. The remainder of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2-1/2 years old.

At around 2-1/2 years old, your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of five and six, the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don’t. Don’t worry if some teeth are a few months early or late. All children are different.

Baby teeth are important, as they not only hold space for permanent teeth, but are essential for chewing, biting, speech, and appearance. For this reason, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene regime.