Teething is a process that starts when your child’s first baby teeth appear in their mouth. It can be a difficult process for both baby and parent, which is why we offer this helpful guide to help educate and prepare you. When Does Teething Occur? The age your toddler starts teething can vary, with some starting as early as 3 months old or as late as 12 months. For most children though it happens between 6-8 months old. As a pediatric dentist will tell you, the process usually begins with the two bottom front teeth called lower incisors growing in, followed by the two front teeth, the upper incisors. Next is the upper and lower molars, the canines, and then the second molars (upper and lower). The process can be lengthy as your youngster is usually about two and a half years by the time all 20 baby teeth grow into their mouth. How To Prepare for Teething To prepare, start looking for signs of teething coming before it happens, starting by the time your baby is 6 months old. Common signs teething is near include irritable temperament, active biting on hard items, and consistent drooling. You may also notice their gums swell or are sore, and they wake up often when you put them down for a nap or the night. Many parents experience extreme stress when their youngsters start teething. They are emerging from the newborn phase and feel like they have a handle on the children’s’ sleep habits. Then come constant nights when the child keeps waking up, which parents may not at first realize is because of teething. Teething Tips That Work When teething happens, babies can react differently. Some of them have almost no issues while others have quite a bit of discomfort. To comfort a child and help parents get more rest at night too, Houston Pediatric Dentist, Dr. Linh Luu recommends providing your baby with a rubber teething ring. The rubber version is less likely to break than one that is liquid filled or made of plastic. Another teething tip is to run a washcloth under cool water and then gently rub it on their gums. You can even put the cloth into the freezer for an extra cold sensation that dulls the pain in their mouth. Also, if your baby is at the point of eating solid foods, great food choices are yogurt and applesauce. For bottle feeding, avoid juice, formula or anything other than water as it can decay your child’s new teeth coming in. Stay away from topical medications for rubbing on gums; that is not necessary and, as your child’s mouth is full of moisture, it washes from their mouth within minutes. The number one tip is to take your child to a pediatric dentist before their first birthday, or sooner if a first tooth has already appeared. That way you make sure you have the information you need to best respond to teething and ease the discomfort your youngster feels. Practicing good dental care from a young age sets your child up for great hygiene habits for their future!

Did you know that Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry offers free visits for children up to 1 years old? When to Bring Your Child to the Dentist? A question that I get the asked the most as a pediatric dentist is, “At what age should I start bringing my child to the dentist?” I believe that you should bring your child in around their first birthday.  The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Dental Association, and The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry all agree that children should have their first dental visits and find a dental home around the time of their first birthday.  A dental home is basically a place that is easily accessible for you, comprehensive, and coordinated.  Establishing a dental home can be more cost effective and higher quality alternative to emergency care situations, because dental problems can usually be detected and prevented before it turns into something more serious. Once I recommend to parents that they should bring in their one year olds for dental exams they usually say “but my child doesn’t even that many teeth yet”.  Although this may be true the purpose of the first dental visit for your child goes a lot deeper than just looking at the teeth.  The benefit of the first dental visit is being able to talk with the parents.  My main focus of the first visit is to gather information that we can use to create a program that addresses the unique issues that can affect your child’s oral health.  Using anticipatory guidance where I asses your child’s risk factors for oral disease, and anticipate what potential oral problems your child may encounter based on these risk factors and help guide you in a way to avoid these problems. My assistants and I do a lot of talking with the parents at the time of the first visit but I also have to look at the child’s teeth.  Many infant and toddler exams that we do take place in an infant area where I can help the child feel more at ease and offer a more comforting exam.  For this exam the child can sit on your lap and you just lean their head back so that I can makes sure I can determine if there are any potential signs of dental disease and make some early predictions on the need of orthodontics later on. I can also demonstrate proper brushing techniques for your child so you can keep their teeth clean at home. So once we exam the child’s teeth and talk with the parents our dental team can provide you with: A program that includes preventive home care such as flossing, brushing, and diet. An Risk Assessment for Cavities Information about thumb, finger, and pacifier habits. Preventing Injuries to the mouth and teeth. Growth and Development Information over teeth and jaws.

Teeth generally vary in size, shape and their location in the jaws. These differences enable teeth to work together to help you chew, speak and smile. They also help give your face its shape and form. At birth people usually have 20 primary (baby) teeth, which often erupt about 6 months of age. By 33 months, your child should most if not all of their baby teeth erupted. Also, be sure to visit our Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry and have your baby's teeth examined before their 1st birthday, free of charge.

You likely already know that your child should visit the dentist regularly. But do you know that your kid will get the most advantage if you choose a pediatric dentist as the primary oral care provider rather than a general (family) dentist? What is a Pediatric Dentist? A pediatric dentist is a dentistry specialist whose focus is on young people as patients. Ensuring the oral health of youngsters such as your child is what this person has been specifically trained during dental school to do. That training is different than a family dentist who sees patients of all ages. A pediatric dentist must complete an additional two years of training on top of what a family dentist completes. That extra time provides preparation for the pediatric dentist to learn how to meet the needs of child patients; those needs can be quite different than adults patients’ demands. Understanding the Needs of a Child A pediatric dentist is very in tune with the unique needs of kids. Infants, children, and adolescents have unique oral health concerns that differ from adults. For a pediatric dentist, these concerns are ones they are most familiar with and know how to address them effectively. In addition, if you start your child going to the dentist early in life, he or she becomes used to the regular oral checkups at the dentist. The youngster gets familiar with the office and starts to comprehend the importance of good oral health. A Comfortable Enviornment As well, a pediatric dentist understands how to make your kid comfortable. The specialist is trained in how to deal with uncooperative children. The result is that your child feels safe and secure, so her or she is more likely to follow the pediatric dentist’s instructions for the best oral care possible. As well, the pediatric dental office is quite different than a general or family dentist’s office. A pediatric office is usually full of children’s games and books, as well as having a TV. These items provide ways to welcome and entertain the youngsters. The environment is targeted to the young ages of patients, helping them feel special and more at ease before they go to the dentistry chair. Creating a positive atmosphere for your kid when he or she first goes to the dentist is important. By choosing a pediatric dentist, you bring your child to a specialist trained in helping children, making them comfortable and avoiding any dentist phobias from developing during their early formative years.