580 Airport Rd. SW
Huntsville, AL 35802
256-883-5050
Dental Treatment
Pediatric Dental Information and Treatment
Over 30 Years in Practice | Locally and Family Owned
Member of the ADAOver 30 Years in PracticeLocally and Family Owned
What to Expect With Your Children's Teeth
In over 30 years of experience at Beitel Pediatric Dentistry, we've found that many parents have questions about what to expect with their children's teeth. The information below lets you know important facts about tooth development in infants and children, as well as pediatric dental care.
Infant Tooth Development and Teething
In most cases, an infant's first tooth erupts between the ages of 6 to 12 months. The infant's gums will be sore, tender, and irritable as the teeth continue to erupt up to the age of 3 or so.
Average Infant Tooth Timeline
- Before birth — A child's teeth begin forming below the gums.
- 4 months +/- — The primary (baby) teeth begin pushing through the gums. The lower central incisors are first, followed by the upper central incisors.
- By age 3 +/- — The other teeth erupt. The order varies.
- Age 6 +/- — Permanent teeth begin to erupt, starting with the first molars and lower central incisors, and continue erupting until around age 21. Adults typically have 28 secondary (permanent) teeth, or 32 including the third molars (wisdom teeth).
We recommend rubbing sore gums gently with a clean finger or providing your child with a cold, wet cloth. A teething ring may help. We discourage the use of teething biscuits because they contain sugar that is not good for developing teeth.
Baby bottle tooth decay
is a serious problem. Like the teeth of adults, an infant's teeth should not be left exposed to sugar and dental plaque for long periods of time. When an infant drinks something containing sugar, acids attack the teeth for around 20 minutes. When a child is awake, saliva carries away the sugar. During sleep, however, the sugar adheres to the teeth and covers them in acids.
To prevent baby bottle tooth decay, we recommend not allowing sleeping infants to bottlefeed or breastfeed. If your infant requires a bottle to fall asleep, we recommend that you fill it with water or use a pacifier.
You can keep an eye out for baby bottle tooth decay. Monitor your child's teeth carefully for dull spots or lines that are whiter than the tooth surface. They're most likely to develop on the inside (tongue side) of the teeth.
Infant Tooth Spacing and Growth
Your child's primary teeth (the ones usually called "baby teeth") are critical to the natural growth of your child's jaw and permanent teeth. Without primary teeth, your child cannot chew food properly and may face problems as the secondary teeth (permanent teeth) come in around the age of 6.
Primary teeth are also important because they allow your child to develop good speech and clear pronunciation habits. The self-image associated with healthy teeth is also important.
If your infant or young child is missing baby teeth, a space maintainer may be necessary to ensure proper growth of the permanent teeth. Children and adults are equally susceptible to plaque and gum problems, and regular checkups and dental care are essential.
Your Child's First Dental Visit
Your child's first visit to Beitel Pediatric Dentistry should be scheduled around his or her first birthday. This allows us to make sure tooth development is occurring correctly, and it begins a process of learning to become comfortable with dental care and our office.
We encourage allowing your child to sit in your lap during this first appointment. As your child grows older, we welcome discussion of any fears or anxiety about dental care.
Good Diet and Healthy Teeth
Maintaining good health in your oral bones, teeth, and soft tissue requires a well-balanced diet. Eating food from the five food groups helps minimize cavities and other dental problems.
Monitoring your children's snacks is important. Most snacks that children prefer cause cavities. We recommend guiding them toward vegetables, low-fat yogurt, and cheese and limiting their intake of sugary foods.
To Schedule a
Dental Appointment
for Your Child,
Call 256-883-5050
Emergency dental care is available for patients of record.