As your child grows and matures, their body does the same in various ways. Their teeth go through developmental milestones as well. These are just a few major dental milestones you can expect your kids to go through as they grow up.
Growing New Teeth
When your child gets to be about six months old, they start to grow new teeth. This is an uncomfortable process for your child, which makes it uncomfortable for you too. If you’re breastfeeding, your child can bite your nipples and cause pain when breastfeeding. The teething process makes your child’s gums tender, and can make it hard for them to sleep at night. When they’re going through this, giving them chewable items like teething rings can help ease the pain. Cold foods also help. In fact, there are teething rings that you can freeze to help soothe your child’s gums.
Losing Baby Teeth
The next big milestone for your child’s teeth comes when they start to lose their baby teeth. This usually begins when they’re 7 or 8, and they spend the next few years losing their baby teeth to make room for their adult teeth to grow in. Luckily, this process is pretty painless. However, if a tooth is very loose, it can be painful to chew. Losing baby teeth can prompt anxiety for some kids, but there are things you can do as a parent to help them feel better about it. For example, the tooth fairy makes losing baby teeth much more exciting. Leaving gifts or trinkets under your child’s pillow in exchange for their baby tooth makes the process exciting!
First Cavities
Inevitably, between the Halloween candy and neglect of dental hygiene, your child will get their first cavity. Everyone goes through it at some point, but the process of getting the cavity filled can be stressful for your kids. The dental equipment, the tools, the numbness, etc. are all a lot to take in. It can help if you walk your kids through the process beforehand. Tell them what’s going to happen, and what they can expect during the whole process. Doing this can help the visit be less of an unknown, and make it easier for your kid when it does happen.
There are many milestones that you and your children go through as they grow up. All of them are uncharted territory, especially for first-time parents. The milestones regarding your child’s teeth can be tricky to navigate, but these are a few ways you can make it through.
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