Health encyclopaedia

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Dental care for babies and children

Babies start to develop teeth before they are born. The first teeth (also known as milk teeth or deciduous teeth) normally start to break through the gum from at around six to nine months old. Most children will have around eight teeth by their first birthday, although this is just an average. The complete set of twenty milk teeth is usually through by 2 and a half years.

Milk teeth start to fall out when the permanent, adult teeth start to break through the gum. This usually begins around the age of 6 or 7, but continues for several years. Wisdom teeth, or second molars, usually appear between the ages of 17 and 21, but can be much later.

Even small babies are exposed to sugar – the natural sugars in breast milk – which can cause tooth decay, so it is important to start looking after your children’s teeth as soon as they appear.

• What to do
• Why is it necessary?
• Prevention
• Treatment

• DandruffDeafblindnessDecongestant drugsDeep vein thrombosisDehydrationDementiaDental abscessDental care for babies and childrenDental decayDepressionDEXA scanDiabetesDiabetes insipidusDiabetic retinopathyDialysisDiaphragms and capsDiarrhoeaDietDifferential testDilatation and curettage (D&C)DiphtheriaDiverticular problemsDouble visionDown's syndromeDrug misuseDry eye syndromeDupuytren's contractureDysenteryDyslexiaDysphagiaDyspraxia

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