Infant Care

When will my baby’s teeth start to erupt?

Normally, babies start to get their first teeth around 6-8 months of age. Of course, this is just a guideline. Some kid’s teeth come in much earlier while others come in later. The lower front teeth are usually the first to erupt followed by the top two. By 3 years of age most children will have all 20 of their baby teeth.

How can I avoid nursing caries or baby bottle caries?

Milk and formula both contain sugars that can lead to decay. Early childhood decay, also known nursing or baby bottle caries, can be prevented by following a few steps:

• Avoid putting your child to sleep with a bottle or while nursing.
• Avoid giving milk in a bottle at night.
• If your baby wakes up to feed at night, gently wipe their gums or teeth with a wet wash cloth or napkin after they finish. Again, the milk should not be used as aid to put them back to sleep.
• Avoid “at-will” feeding once the first teeth have erupted.
• Try and wean your child off the bottle by age 1.
• Visit your pediatric dentist within 6 months of the first tooth erupting.