On the occasion of the National Tooth Fairy Day, celebrated annually on August 22nd, let us discuss when and what to expect in your child’s teeth development.
Losing our baby teeth is a rite of passage that we, as humans, experience as we grow older. This famous milestone can be confusing, amusing, or even terrifying for children.
As a parent, ensuring that the child associates losing baby teeth as a positive experience is essential. This is especially crucial for the first one as it can determine how the child deals with losing the rest of them in the next few years.
Without considering the remote possibility that you remember your “de-toothing” experience in detail, here is a guide to help you learn about it:
- Growing and losing baby teeth
- Best practices for your child’s proper oral hygiene
- Ideas to celebrate National Tooth Fairy Day
Growing and losing baby teeth
Babies are born with twenty teeth which start to come out approximately when they turn 6 months old. This is called teething, known as primary teeth/baby teeth/milk teeth. This process continues until the child reaches age 3.
When the child reaches the age of 6, they begin to lose these baby teeth as and when the permanent tooth is ready to erupt. This can continue until they replace all their baby teeth, usually by age 12. Wisdom teeth often appear between the ages of 17-21. At the end of their teenage years, children typically have a complete set of 32 permanent teeth.
It is important to remember that children lose and grow teeth on their own timelines. You can always consult a dentist if you feel your child has missed a dental milestone.
Oral hygiene
Oral hygiene practices differ depending on the age of the child. As a parent, it is essential to understand and teach your children good oral hygiene practices for better dental health. Some children may require supervision. Here is a list of best practices to follow for each age group:
Babies
Babies are at risk for tooth decay from the moment the first tooth appears, so parents must be proactive in ensuring your baby’s dental hygiene.
Regularly cleaning your baby’s gums can help safeguard the yet-to-erupt tooth. This can be done by wiping the gums with a clean, damp cloth/ infant toothbrush.
Remember, babies’ teeth cleaning should start from the moment the first tooth appears.
If the baby has started teething, the gums could be a little sore. Using a couple-minute-frozen washcloth can soothe their gums.
Schedule a dental visit around the child’s first birthday.
Toddlers
Parents should assist the toddler with brushing to ensure good oral hygiene and promote dental habits.
It is best to use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head. Apply no more than a rice-sized amount of toothpaste and brush the teeth at a 45-degree angle.
Gently brush the teeth in a circular motion for a good two minutes. Use a non-fluoride toothpaste unless the child has learned to spit it out.
If your child has two teeth touching each other, you should floss them daily.
Children up to age 10
Parents can buy fluoride toothpaste once the child is old enough to spit it out.
Please switch to a soft, child-sized toothbrush and ensure the child brushes their teeth twice daily.
Teach your child to floss their teeth twice a day for good oral health.
Parents should supervise their children while brushing, typically up to the age of 7-8.
Routinely check your child’s teeth for cavities, discoloration, or any abnormalities.
Schedule regular dentist visits to catch any early symptoms of dental issues.
Ideas to celebrate National Tooth Fairy Day
- Switch out monetary compensation for a fun treat such as stickers, a new fun toothbrush, toothpaste, small trinkets, etc.
- Just as Santa Claus expects good behavior, the tooth fairy expects excellent oral hygiene. This is a great way to teach young children the importance of healthy teeth and oral hygiene. This is a fantastic time to begin a morning and nighttime routine that they can manage for their age group.
- Eliminate dental anxiety. Many young children fear going to the dentist for many reasons. They may have overheard someone else’s experience or watched movies that depict a dental visit as a scary experience. Use the tooth fairy concept to teach children the importance of healthy teeth, and visiting the dentist is part of the process. Some parents have even encouraged positive imagination by telling their young ones that the dentist is very good friends with the tooth fairy.
- Tooth fairy activity sheets, coloring books, or an arts and crafts project are a few examples to celebrate National Tooth Fairy Day.
- Leave a note! Your child can practice writing and reading skills by writing a sweet letter for the tooth fairy.
It may be a little overwhelming to deal with your child’s teeth development as a parent or caregiver. However, it is essential to be aware of best practices to help your child maintain good dental hygiene and oral practices early on.
On this National Tooth Fairy Day, let us pledge to help our children learn, understand and adopt good dental habits for maximum oral health and hygiene.
Torbram Dental has leading experts in children’s dentistry. The staff at Torbram Dental will be more than happy to share more information on oral hygiene for young ones. At Torbram Dental, we offer fluoride treatments and dental sealants for extra cavity protection. Love what you read? For additional tips on pacifiers and thumb sucking, visit our blog!
Simrit has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She started her career with Assisting/Treatment co-ordinating and then moved on to becoming the Hygiene Co Ordinator in 2005. In 2012 she took on a new role as the Marketing Director. Though she loved being the Marketing Director, in 2015 she became the Office Manager of Torbram Dental. She completed her Level 1 Dental Assisting program with Career Canada in 1996 and then went on to complete her Level II Dental Assisting Diploma with Southwestern Medix in 1999. That is when she received NDAEB Certification. Simrit has been and still is an active member of the Ontario Dental Assistants Association since 2000. She enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband and two kids and loves to explore new restaurants, especially high-tea venues.
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Jessica, one of our receptionists, is one of the smiling faces you see when you arrive at the office. She graduated with honours from Medix College with a diploma as a Level 2 Dental Assistant. When she is not happily helping our patients, Jessica enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, going to church on Sunday mornings, gardening and going on hikes.
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Naudia has been working at Torbram Dental for many years and is a valued member of our administrative team: as a dental receptionist and in our marketing team . She graduated from Everest College with honours level 1 and 2, with a diploma in Dental Assisting. Naudia is always there for our patients, making sure that they receive the care and attention they deserve. When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking and indulging in civil court TV shows.
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Ramandeep has been a part of Torbram Dental for the past 10 years as certified dental assistant. She obtained her level 1 certification from Everest college in Brampton in 2013, and then her level 2 certification in 2014 from Medix college. Her career path through the clinic has been recognized by staff at all levels who admire her work ethic and dedication to million dollar smiles. In her spare time, Ramandeep enjoys cooking and gardening, and spending time with her husband and 2 kids.
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Sana is a valued member of our dental hygiene team. In 2008 she completed her education at George Brown in Dental Assisting and in 2016 she earned her diploma in Dental Hygiene from the Canadian Academy of Dental Health and Sciences. Sana has been working in dentistry since 2008 and enjoys taking care of our patients and helping them with their oral health. She is married and is busy with her 2 young children. In her spare time, Sana enjoys going out with the family, trying out new places to eat and is looking forward to travelling with them in the future.
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Sanaria has been working at Torbram Dental for many years as a valued member of our Dental Assisting Team. She completed her level 2 dental assisting certification and previously obtained a degree in Education and worked as a quality control officer in the pharmaceutical industry. When not at work Sanaria loves to bake and cook. She also loves story time and enjoying the outdoors with her children. She always sees the positive side of life, believes that nothing is impossible and that if you set a goal and work at it, that you will make your dreams come true.
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Carrie has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She graduated from George Brown College in 1998 with a Dental Assistant Diploma and continued to further her education by completing a Dental Hygiene Diploma in 2001 at Durham College. Carrie is a highly trained and experienced Registered Dental Hygienist who continues to learn and grow by updating her knowledge to provide her clients with the best Oral Health Care techniques and information. Carrie is passionate about Dentistry and is known for her gentle and compassionate manner. She feels strongly about building lasting relationships and trust with her clients to help them understand that good Oral Health leads to good Overall Health. Carrie enjoys travelling, dabbling in decorating and a good Netflix series in her time off. Carrie resides in Halton Hills with her husband and two children.
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Daniela's interest in Dentistry began in Gr.6 when she wrote a speech entitled "My Life as a Toothbrush".
A Registered Dental Hygienist with 22 years of clinical experience, Daniela still has a great passion for her career. The most rewarding aspect for her is building lasting relationships with her patients, and seeing them through to a healthier smile.
Her thorough yet gentle touch will ensure a comfortable visit every time.
Daniela is a total Foodie and loves to cook and enjoys all types of cuisines. She loves Florida, Cruises, organizing things, and most of all spending time with family and friends.
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Stephanie Enjoys getting to know all new patients at Torbram Dental and catching up with long standing Patients. Stephanie enjoys spending quality time with her family. One of her favorite things to do with her daughter is teach and play the piano. Stephanie likes going on walks with her husband and enjoys spending as much time with him as he is an Active Member of the Canadian Army. On Sundays, Stephanie enjoys going to Church and looks forward to Sunday Dinner with her entire family. Stephanie's Favorite thing to do to start her day right is head to her local Starbucks and Grab her favorite drink, an iced black tea with light lemonade on warm days and a blonde vanilla latte on those cold winter days.
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