Dental Health in Children

Anatomy of children's teeth

Children's teeth (or primary teeth) play an important role in digestion and reserving spaces for permanent teeth. The tooth consists of a crown and root, and the tooth is composed of different materials that aid in strengthening, preserving and maintaining its function.

For more information, see Anatomy of Children's Teeth.

Teething

Teeth usually begin to erupt from 10 months of age and finish around 29 months of age. Biting, drooling, gum-rubbing, irritability, and sucking are all common symptoms 3 or 4 days before and after primary teeth come through.

For more information on this symptom, see Teething Troubles.

Dental hygiene in babies and young children

It is very important that primary teeth are kept in place until they are lost naturally. Most children will have some of their primary teeth up until the age of 12.

For more information, see Dental Hygiene in Babies and Young Children.

Nutrition and dental health

The main cause of tooth loss is tooth decay and one of the most significant factors in the start of tooth decay is what we eat. The diet we consume can also play a significant role in erosion of teeth as well as the development of defects in the tooth structure.

For more information, see Nutrition and Dental Health.

During pregnancy

There is emerging interest in the effect of the prenatal period on tooth development and the future risk of tooth decay for the child. Pregnancy, thus, is a critical time to focus on good dental hygiene..

For more information, see Dental Health and Nutrition During Pregnancy.

0–1 years of age

Nutritional needs for the first year of infancy are met primarily by breast milk and/or infant formula, followed by sequential introduction of baby foods starting with fortified cereals at approximately 6 months of age.

For more information, see Effect of Nutrition on Dental Health from Birth to One Year of Age.

1–2 years of age

Between the age of 12 and 24 months, most of the remaining primary teeth erupt, and by the third birthday, all of the 20 primary teeth have erupted. Feeding behavior changes throughout the toddler years.

For more information, see Effect of Nutrition on Dental Health from One to Two Years of Age.

2–5 years of age

At these ages, caregivers and healthcare workers need to ensure that good dietary habits, including regular meal patterns, are instilled in the child.

For more information, see Effect of Nutrition on Dental Health from Two to Five Years of Age.

Importance of regular dental check-ups

Even though many of us might think that our teeth are in good shape, regular visits to the family dentist are very important. Regular care and prevention of diseases in the mouth are the best possible care you can give your teeth.

For more information, see Importance of Regular Dental Check-ups.

Website Tools

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Discuss on Forum

Article Tools

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this page (press Ctrl+D)

Mini Sites Dates:

Created: 23/2/2010

Modified: 14/5/2010

Today's medical survey

View Results »

Current Sponsors

Proudly brought to you by

Accreditation and Awards

Accreditations and Awards

No. 1 Website in the Hitwise Top 10 Website Award in recognition of outstanding performance

Current Sponsors

Australia’s leading source for trustworthy medical information written by health professionals.

Please be aware that we do not give advice on your individual medical condition,
if you want advice please see your treating physician.

Information on this site must be discussed with your treating doctor.

RSS News feed

For Banner Advertising

Website and videos by

^ Back to Top

	Average no. of cigarettes smoked each day
	No. of cigarettes per pack
	Cost per pack ($)
	Age
	How many years have you been smoking?

	It depends on the condition - my reaction would be different if the condition was stress compared to if it was schizophrenia.
	I would try to ignore the problem so that I didnt offend the other person.
	I would talk to the person and encourage them to have regular GP appointments.
	I would be scared and would not want to talk to the person about it.
	I wouldn't say anything but I would try to be more supportive.

Virtual Medical Centre