Baby health guide
Baby's first teeth
Picture: Shutterstock / Oksana Kuzmina
Your baby already has teeth before birth. But they are still hidden in the jaw, where the 20 milk teeth are tightly packed together waiting to erupt. On average, babies get their first visible tooth around the sixth month of life - usually in the lower jaw, by the way.
Your child will soon be smiling at you with their first teeth. There are a few rules you should follow to preserve healthy milk teeth and prevent tooth decay:
Recommendations for baby's dental health:
- It is good to breastfeed your child. This is healthy and strengthens your child's defences.
- Teeth should be brushed from the first milk tooth, morning and evening with a toothbrush and a touch of fluoridated children's toothpaste
- Clean feet, clean hands, a clean mouth and clean teeth belong together.
- Never give a teat bottle in bed to soothe your child or to help them fall asleep; a teat without a bottle is sufficient for their sucking needs.
- Learning to walk and drinking from a cup will turn your baby into a real toddler. Recommended drinks for your child are water and unsweetened teas.
- Avoid giving your child frequent sweet snacks. Small pieces of fruit, vegetables or crispbread are sufficient for nibbling on the go.
- Take advantage of the regular early check-ups with your dentist.