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TEETHING AND TEETH-CAREBy the time an infant is born, all his baby teeth as well as his permanent six year molars have already begun to develop inside his jaw. There are even a few babies who are born with one or two teeth already showing. The age at which the first baby tooth makes it's appearance varies considerably from baby to baby. Some babies get It is better to avoid consumption of Tetraeyelin group of drugs (mycins) during this period. These drugs may affect the calcification of teeth and some children do get yellow teeth due to this medicine. Usually the first two teeth to make their appearance are the lower incisors. After 4 months the 4 upper incisors make their appearance. The average is 4 above and 2 below when he is a year old, and by the time he is two and a half years old the full set of twenty teeth make their appearance. It is generally after the first 5 months that the child gets his mother worried on account of his teeth. The first milk tooth is about to emerge. He is very restless, tries to chew upon anything and everything. There is a lot of drooling, and there also might be some fever and mild diarrhea. But the degree of discomfort and crankiness varies from child to child. My own child suffered no discomfort at all during teething, but some children do have a lot of trouble, and if the baby's temperature goes over 100 degree Celsius then you must take him to a doctor because this fever is not caused by teething, but by some infection which he has contacted, for teething lowers considerably the resistance of the baby to any disease. One of the earliest signs of teething in some babies, may be a refusal to nurse or take the bottle. The 3 month old baby who approaches his feeding eagerly and then after a few seconds of nursing begin to cry as if he is in pain, is perhaps letting his mother know that a tooth is on the way. His already sensitive gums are made more painful by the act of sucking. During this time the baby can be given milk from a spoon, a temporary enlarging of the nipple hole also makes sucking less painful. Even if sucking hurts a little, a teething baby often finds relief in chewing. He can be given a teething ring for this purpose. Some babies who already have one or two teeth, enjoy munching on a raw carrot, beetroot or a cucumber stick or biscuits or toasts, as a way of easing the gums. If there is constant crying because of teething, rubbing the baby's gums frequently makes him feel better. During the arrival of the first few teeth, some babies show no special signs of discomfort. But between the ages of 1 year and 18 months they may begin to cry and awake in the middle of the night because of the pain due to the slow eruption of the first four molars. A few comforting words, some cuddling and a drink of water or milk may calm him down. There seems to be a lot of controversy on the ill-effects of a pacifier, or a thumb or finger sucking. It is now an established fact that the pacifiers cause no harm to the teeth, and thumb or finger sucking is normal in a small baby and most of them give up this habit by the time they reach the age of five years. Even though the baby teeth are temporary, they should not be neglected. Children who have badly decayed baby teeth or who lose their baby teeth prematurely may become victims of decay and gum diseases as they grow older. A premature loss of baby teeth causes irregularity in positioning of the upper teeth. This results in Malocclusion in which the upper and lower, teeth do not meet properly in chewing and biting. This gives a child not only an unattractive appearance but also causes chewing difficulty and digestion troubles. A special branch of dentistry called Orthodontics is concerned with the prevention and correction of malocclusion. Up to the age of 2 years give the baby fresh apple and toast? Because these are coarse in texture and therefore they scour the teeth and help to keep them clean. But when he reaches two years, give him his first toothbrush. Give him a soft bristled toothbrush. Accumulation of food particles between the teeth causes inflammation of the gums, resulting in gingivitis, which is very prevalent in the five to ten years age group. It also causes pyorrhea, a disease which makes the gums spongy, fills them with pus, causes them to bleed and starts a foul smell in the mouth. Germs from these teeth when swallowed along with food, cause a number of stomach disorders including anemia and dyspepsia. Only regular brushing of teeth twice a day with specially designed toothbrushes and a good toothpaste can counteract these diseases, which may well cause the children to lose their teeth and their health. At two years a child is opt to copy anything his father or mother does. Naturally the two year old won't be efficient at first but slowly and gradually he will learn the art of brushing his To enjoy a set of healthy teeth in later life, habits such as breathing through the mouth, nail-biting, sucking of the lower lip and thrusting of the tongue should be checked, to prevent improper alignment of teeth and jaw relationship. To enjoy healthy sparkling teeth in later life a child should be given a diet which is rich in calcium, phosphorus and Vitamins C & D. Vitamin C is responsible for giving a child pink gums and healthy teeth. Vitamin D is very important for the utilization of calcium in the body, lack of which can bring about tooth decay. Therefore, every child should be given at least |
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