Swollen red gums, and nervous angry biting at everything, are some unmistakable signs that indicate that your baby is about emerge the first tooth. A total of 20 baby teeth, also called primary, begin to emerge and grow from six to eight months. Swollen red gums, and nervous angry biting at everything, are some unmistakable signs that indicate that your baby is about emerge the first tooth. A total of 20 baby teeth, also called primary, begin to emerge and grow from six to eight months. Then, when they turn six or seven years old, the teeth will fall out and are replaced by the secondary or permanent teeth.

During the months preceding the onset of their first teeth, to remove bacteria that nest in the gums, use a small gauze soaked in water. When teeth begin to emerge, rub the teeth and gums with a small soft toothbrush. To neutralize bacteria, simply use only water. The use of toothpaste is not required, but encouraged from the time the child reaches one years old. The main threat to the teeth is sugar. Sweets, and biscuits are a danger, as the sugary substances contained in these foods are dissolved in the mouth, staying too long in contact with teeth. The bacteria in plaque absorbs these sugars and produce acids that in turn causes cavities.

To avoid this, limit the consumption of sugars by not letting the child fall asleep drinking a fruit juice or sucking a pacifier coated with honey or sugar. It is important to remember that, to strengthen bones, and particularly the jaw, children also need minerals like calcium and fluoride, and especially vitamin D. The chief responsibility for the formation of cavities is plaque, a film of salivary origin that tends to settle on the teeth. If this plaque is not removed, it produces acidic substances that promotes the growth of bacteria that can attack the teeth in just 24 hours. The corrosive action of decay is not restricted to the tooth surface, but may reach the bone, below the enamel.

Children should be taught from the outset to take care of their teeth. Apart from good oral hygiene and proper nutrition, it is important to take the child to the dentist. Don’t wait for evidence of pain in the child to go to a dentist even though the tooth will inevitably fall out. Follow common sense and watch your child grow up with a beautiful smile.