Young parents are often very excited to track their children’s development. First words, first steps, and first teeth are all big moments for your kids. But a common concern for parents, is when teeth aren’t developing on-time. Whether it is the permanent teeth that grow-in after children lose their baby teeth, or those initial baby teeth, a common question for both parents and kids is “is there any way to make teeth grow-in faster”. In this article, we will discuss tooth development, what to expect, and what questions to ask your dentist.
One of the most important first steps in monitoring and helping your child’s dental health is making sure they are seeing a dentist. It is recommended that you visit a dentist after a child is six months old or after the first tooth erupts. If your child isn’t getting their teeth, and they are six months old, that is a good time to go to a dentist and discuss the timeline for dental health.
First and foremost, every child is unique and that has a huge impact on their development. Different kids will have their teeth come in early or late. Most books or websites that provide teeth charts are using averages and often provide wide spans of time for that reason. That said there are a few factors that are known to cause delays in development both with oral health and other elements of physical health.
Nutrition: What we eat plays the largest role in how our bodies develop. Making sure that children are eating the right foods and getting enough food each day can impact oral health.
Calcium: One of the most important things young children can consume is calcium in the form of milk. Calcium is vital in the development of bones and teeth. Additionally, sunlight can help the body synthesize vitamin D, which helps calcium with strengthening the bones and teeth.
For the most part, it is important to let your child develop healthily at their own pace. If you have concerns about their health we recommend talking to a dentist or pediatrician. Beyond making sure they are eating enough food and getting the right nutrients in their diet, you can also help them with the teething process. Teething is important for the development of the teeth. However, it also really hurts for a lot of kids. If they are feeling too much pain during the process, it might slow down the process. Alleviating that pain by using a cold pacifier, or a cold towel, or providing gum massages can all help.
If you live in the Chicago area and need to make any dental appointments for yourself or your children, we would be happy to help. Please give us a call for more information on dental health.
