The oral health of babies and children is one of the most curious and researched topics by parents.

Milk Teeth Begin to Appear

It is usually between the 6th and 24th months. (A 6-month delay is normal.) During this period, the child should be monitored by the family and taken to the dentist if necessary.

Feeding the Baby

This is a subject that requires great attention. During this period, a diet that is mostly sugary (honey bottle etc.) is not recommended. Natural breast milk or pure milk is the best. Even if the child likes sugary foods, these foods can cause cavities in the milk teeth.

Decay in Milk Teeth

It can cause the child to encounter pain at a very young age and to have some phobias in the future. In addition, these cavities can cause very early loss of milk teeth.

Early Loss of Milk Teeth

It may cause permanent teeth coming from below to lose their direction, not to come out because there is not enough space, or to come out crooked. This may cause aesthetic or functional disorders in the future. These problems may be more difficult to solve in the future, take a long time and be expensive. Therefore, problems should be detected in the early stages and dentist Necessary measures must be taken by.

Ways to Protect Baby Teeth from Decay

• Not adding sweeteners such as honey, molasses or sugar to the bottle or pacifier.
• Do not put the baby to sleep while feeding with a bottle in his mouth.
• After feeding, wipe the teeth with a clean and wet cheesecloth or gauze.

Children should be carefully examined for swallowing problems such as thumb sucking habits, excessively large tongues, or tongues getting stuck between teeth when closing the jaw. If such a situation occurs, necessary interventions should be made before permanent problems occur. Otherwise, jaw or dental disorders or speech problems may occur. This will result in long-term and costly treatments in the future.

Permanent Teeth Begin to Erupt

Permanent teeth usually start to appear between the ages of 6-12. The first permanent tooth is the first molar. It starts to appear around the age of six. Since oral care is not done consciously enough during this period, these teeth carry a high risk of decay. However, these teeth will remain in the mouth for a lifetime. Therefore, it is necessary to teach oral care in the best way possible to prevent decay in these teeth.

Oral Care After Permanent Teeth Appear

After the permanent teeth appear, oral care should be done regularly by the child himself. Since the teeth that appear during this period will be used throughout life, they should be protected very carefully. Oral care that is taught correctly at this age is very important as it provides protection for years. Just as we teach our children to wash their hands as a reflex from a very young age, we should also teach them to brush their teeth at a very young age, just like washing their hands, and ensure its continuity.

Delay or Misalignment in the Emergence of Permanent Teeth

If there is a delay or crookedness in the emergence of permanent teeth, a dentist should be consulted. Crooked teeth can usually be corrected with orthodontic treatment at the age of 12-13 after all permanent teeth have erupted. If there are jaw discrepancies, they should be treated before growth is complete. Dental misalignments can also be corrected after growth is complete. However, this treatment is faster and more successful during growth.