Best Products · brushing · children · oral concerns · tips and techniques ·Feb 03, 2025

Baby Teeth Matter

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. This month-long national health observance was initiated by the American Dental Association (ADA) to bring together dedicated professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers, and many others. Establishing good oral habits at a young age is the first step to healthy teeth, the whole life through.

Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, allow children to chew their food, assist with speech development, and they are a placeholder for future permanent teeth.

If the baby tooth is lost prematurely there can be many effects.

The development of the jaw is compromised as the remaining teeth may start to shift.
There may not be enough room for the adult teeth (permanent teeth) to properly erupt into an optimal bite, which might require orthodontic intervention.

Regular professional dental visits will allow you to receive expert advice on how to proceed if your child loses a baby tooth prematurely.

The first baby tooth starts to come in around 6 months old and baby teeth continue to erupt until about 2 ½ to 3 years old. As the baby’s teeth erupt, they may become fussy, sleepless, irritable, lose their appetite and drool more than normal. Children continue to lose baby teeth and gain permanent adult teeth until approximately 12 to 13 years old, with wisdom teeth erupting after adolescence. The new adult teeth need to last a lifetime, so establishing healthy oral habits at a young age will encourage continued lifelong healthy habits.

Here are a few tips to establish good nutrition and oral hygiene practices at a young age. Use TePe’s products for children to get started.

Brush twice a day. Brush in the morning and night before bedtime for 2 minutes. Try setting a timer or using an app on your phone to ensure the proper amount of time is being achieved.
Brush all tooth surfaces. Brush the inside, the outside, and biting surfaces of the teeth.
Brush toward the gumline. Place the bristles along the teeth and gumline at a 45-degree angle. Brush in a small back and forth motion or small circles towards the gumline with light pressure.
An adult should assist the child with oral hygiene. Most children need help brushing until the age of 10 when they develop fine motor skills to effectively reach all surfaces of the teeth.
Create a positive atmosphere around brushing. Play a song or story during this time.
Replace the toothbrush every 3 months. If your child is sick or you start to notice the bristles flaring out on the toothbrush you need to replace more frequently. Often children bite down on the toothbrush when trying to brush themselves, making the bristles wear faster and requiring more frequent replacement. Many caregivers find it beneficial to give the child a separate toothbrush for practicing.
Visit your dentist regularly. Your dental professional will evaluate the health of your child’s teeth, give advice on healthy oral habits, review recommendations related to teething, pacifier use, finger or thumb sucking, review fluoride recommendations, and let you know of any risk factors.