Tooth @ MindSay

Infants develop baby teeth around the age of five to eight months. Often baby teeth, or "milk teeth," as they are sometimes called, are not straight. These teeth are not permanent. Even so, adequate baby teeth care and maintenance is necessary to pave the way for permanent teeth. Teeth also affect speech, eating habits, and appearance.

Here are some important facts related to crooked baby teeth that you should keep in mind:

• Crookedness of teeth is natural, but may be aggravated due to prolonged sucking of the thumb, toys, or other household objects.

• Having crooked baby teeth does not necessarily lead to crooked adult teeth.

• Research shows that babies who are bottled fed are more likely to develop crooked teeth compared to breast-fed babies.

• Food tends to accumulate in the gaps between baby teeth and can lead to tooth decay.

Prevention and Treatment

• As far as possible, consider breast-feeding instead of bottle-feeding.

• Parents need to prevent their children from sucking the thumb or any object without harshness or use of force. Remember that most children tend to stop this habit as they grow up.

• If parents find it difficult to stop the child's thumb-sucking habit, they can consider using a pacifier; this will also eventually need to be given up as the child grows up.

• Brush your baby's teeth regularly to prevent any tooth decay.

• As the child grows up, braces may be considered if the permanent teeth are also crooked.

Here are some ways to care for your baby's teeth:

• If your baby needs a bottle to fall asleep, give him only water in a bottle or a cup. Liquids other than water contain sugar. Feeding at bedtime may leave sugar on teeth all night. Then sugar has more time to turn into tooth decay.

• If you feed your baby formula, always hold him while feeding. Never prop the bottle.

• If you use a pacifier, keep it clean. Don't coat it with anything.

• Wipe your baby's teeth and gums every night. Use a wet, clean, soft washcloth.

So everyone¹ knows, the tooth² that has been giving me so much trouble this summer was extracted Friday morning.  I took the proceedure well.³  So far so good in terms of pain--I haven't had to use a one of the pain pills, just standard Excedrin.

 

However, I haven't eaten real food since Thursday afternoon--just some V8 Juice⁵ and a Snack Pack pudding--since I have no appetite at all.⁶  And I have slept poorly, even for me.  And I seem to have ingested several ounces of blood last night, and also swallowed a bunch of gauze.  So I feel less than optimal⁷.

 

Therefore I will do what I can stand to get around to, and that's all.  I apologize to anyone I seem to be ignoring--I'm not⁸.

 

Thanks for your support⁹.

Rich

 

PS--No, I hadn't seen my Wiki Page until now.  I am now officially terrified.

____________________________________

 

¹ Everyone who is bored enough to care, anyway.

 

² Lower-left, molar second from end.  #19, I think.  Or 29.  Or 109.  Something with a nine in it.

 

³ I didn't wet my pants or nothin'.  And I didn't scream.  It's possible that I whimpered briefly, since the assistant kept patting my hand and telling me it would be all right.

 

⁴ There's no footnote 4.  Pay attention!

 

⁵ I will not debate with anybody who doesn't eat on a regular basis whether V8 is "food."  No, I won't.

 

⁶ Which is a piss-poor reason not to eat--yes, I know this.

 

⁷ Like I was regurgitated several times by a cow, then shat among the daisies, then stepped in by somebody wearing Hushpuppies.

 

⁸ Or, I might be.  Who are you, again?

 

⁹ Oh, never mind, I don't want your support.  I want your pity.

I stretched it out some, but the penicillin is now gone.  Everything is fine...for the moment.  Will it stay fine until August 22, when I will hopefully get this shit taken care of?  I'll find out.

 

Remember, the tooth will set you free.

I really don't enjoy dentists, but I'm going to have to break down and go to one.  My mouth feels like sombody shot me in the lower jaw...or like I wish somebody would shoot me in the lower jaw.

 

I can't concentrate anymore, so I'm gonna go drink Scotch until I can sleep--I won't, otherwise.  You guys have a good night.

Even when your baby is only two months old, you should keep her gums healthy and clean. Gently wipe her gums with a wet, clean, soft cloth every day. The most important thing to remember is never to put your baby to bed with a bottle. In addition, never prop up the bottle at any time.

Any kind of drink except water can cause a baby's teeth to decay, even breast milk and infant formula. Other liquids that cause tooth decay are powdered fruit drinks, soda and juice. Any drink that contains sugar can cause tooth decay when your baby gets older. A two-month-old baby should drink only breast milk, formula or water.

Here are some tips to follow to protect your baby's teeth:

• Always hold your baby during feedings. Do not prop up the bottle or leave a bottle in your baby's bed.

• If your baby needs a pacifier at bedtime, make sure it is clean and dry.

• Do not dip the pacifier in honey or sweet liquids. Your baby might like the sweet taste, but these liquids will cause tooth decay when her teeth come in. Germs in honey can also make a baby sick.

• Help prevent the spread of germs to your baby. You and your family should have regular dental checkups to help keep your own teeth and gums healthy. Clean the nipples of your baby's pacifiers and bottles by washing with soap and rinsing carefully and thoroughly with clean water. Do not lick your baby's pacifier or bottle nipples to "clean" them.

How To Clean Your Baby's Teeth

At 10 months of age, babies are too young to clean their own teeth. But you can start now to make teeth cleaning a lifelong daily habit. Your baby learns most from watching you. Set a good example by brushing your own teeth after every meal. Let your baby see you doing it. Then clean your baby's teeth by using a wet, clean, soft washcloth to remove germs. Do this after every meal. Save toothpaste until your baby is older.

Make teeth cleaning fun. Make a puppet from an old, clean white sock. Draw eyes and mouth on the bottom near the toe. Pull the sock over your hand. Pretend to clean the puppet's teeth. Let your baby try. Alternatively, use a stuffed animal.

Sing a song while cleaning. Make up your own words. Or sing these words to the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush." This is the way we clean our teeth, clean our teeth, clean our teeth. This is the way we clean our teeth so early in the morning. (This is the way we clean our teeth before we go to bed.)

Use teeth cleaning for learning. Point to your teeth and say, "Teeth." Ask, "Where are your teeth?" Talk about cleaning. Use words like brush, clean, tongue, top, bottom, back, front. Your baby will need to know these words when she starts cleaning her own teeth.

Make teeth cleaning a pleasant experience. That way your baby will want to try it on her own.

White spots on your baby's teeth could be a sign of decay. If you see white spots, call your dentist.