People always think that newborn babies do not have teeth, and sooner or later the milk teeth will be replaced, so they do not pay much attention to the baby’s milk teeth, which is actually very wrong. It is important for babies to take care of their teeth The upper and lower incisors usually start to erupt when the baby is about 6 months old, and by the time they reach the age of 2.5 to 3 years old, the majority of children have all 20 milk teeth. Around the age of 6, the upper and lower jaw bones begin to develop and grow rapidly, providing a place for the permanent teeth to erupt. At the same time, the roots of the baby teeth begin to be gradually absorbed by the surrounding tissues, and the permanent teeth under them begin to erupt little by little. By the age of about 20, all 32 permanent teeth, including the wisdom teeth, have basically erupted. When your baby’s baby teeth start to erupt, there may be mild pain and sensitivity in the gums. At this time, you can use a small spoon, wet gauze or directly rub your baby’s dental bed with your finger to relieve discomfort or comfort your baby, or you can let your baby chew on a teething silicone stick. However, if your baby still feels uncomfortable or even has a fever, it’s time to go to the hospital. How to keep your baby’s teeth healthy In principle, your baby should start cleaning his or her mouth a few days after birth. It is best to gently wipe the dental bed with a clean wet gauze after feeding to remove the plaque on top of the dental bed, which helps your baby at an early age, that is, to establish good oral hygiene habits, and the initial good feeling of cleaning the mouth. Once the milk teeth have erupted, brush them with a special soft-bristled toothbrush for babies. You can use a fluoride containing pediatric toothpaste the size of a soybean, and encourage and teach your child to rinse his or her mouth after brushing. When brushing baby’s teeth, you can let him/her lie down or sit up so that parents can clearly see the baby’s oral condition. Once all of your baby’s milk teeth have come in (around age 3), it is time to floss. Another important suggestion is to choose a suitable and pleasant time, such as the child’s birthday, for a special visit to a dental hospital or dental clinic in order to give the child a proper understanding and exposure to oral treatment, so that they can understand that the dentist is a good friend to help them care for their teeth, which will be very beneficial to the child’s dental visits in the future. Prevent the decay of milk teeth Once the milk teeth erupt, there will be the possibility of decay, one of the serious decay is called “bottle caries”, as the name suggests, it is the result of the baby falling asleep with milk, milk powder, sugar water or fruit juice in the pacifier and the acid produced will destroy the hard tissue of milk teeth continuously for a long time. Therefore, it is best to fill the bottle with plain water before bedtime instead of adding sugar or honey to comfort your baby. The preschool years are a time to develop good eating habits, including a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, meat, cereals and milk as essential elements, minimizing snacks between meals and reducing the amount of sugar and sweets in them. Maintain the position of permanent teeth If the milk teeth are lost too early before the eruption of permanent teeth, the teeth on both sides will be tilted towards the gap of missing teeth and occupy the position of new permanent teeth, and the eruption of permanent teeth will be inhibited and erupt in the wrong position, resulting in the uneven alignment of teeth. To prevent this, we need to ask the doctor to wear a “gap retainer” for the child to maintain the position of the permanent teeth.