Dental Care Tips for My Two Front Teeth

We’ve probably all heard the cute Christmas tune about wishing for my two front teeth.

While the songs main concern was the presence of her lisp in conjunction with the absence of her ability to whistle which is clearly a crisis in a child’s world. In all seriousness the importance of a kids two front teeth obviously goes way beyond that.

So, how important are my child’s two front teeth?

Children’s teeth grow in on their own time and as they do, they need their two front teeth for a number of reasons. For starters, it would look pretty silly if your little one went on to grow up without a full set of teeth. While that is an unlikely and silly outcome we think those two front teeth are pretty important. Since your two front teeth are the most visible, they have the biggest influence on how your smile looks. You also need them for functional purposes like biting into a sweet juicy cob of corn. Besides these, your children’s two front teeth also make a slew of other oral activities easier or possible, like being able to whistle and speak without a lisp like our ageless song suggests.

So as your child enters school age and begins to lose and gain new teeth faster than the tooth fairy can keep up, we tend to see the most kids dental issues arise from those famous two front teeth. As pediatric dentists, we at Surfside Kids Dental wanted to take some time to give you the best information we have on kids dental care, while focusing on the most visible area of your child’s mouth.

Based on the general timeline, the temporary front teeth or baby teeth typically show up between six to 12 months. The fun teething period. The rest of the baby teeth cut through over the next two years. By the time your child is three years old, all 20 baby teeth should have arrived. We have about three years to enjoy these before we start losing them.

Baby to adult teeth timeline…

Your growing child may be curious and ask you, “When do I lose my two front teeth just like the kid in the Christmas song?” Normally, we lose our front baby teeth from six to seven years of age. It’s possible that our teeth fall out in the order that they arrived, but this isn’t frequently the case.

Should your child feel insecure about their gap-toothed smile and persistently inquire, about the growth of their grown up teeth, you can answer that the average age for the front permanent teeth to erupt, both upper and lower, is seven. The middle teeth are the first to go at six to seven years old, followed by those on either side at seven to eight years old. The molars are usually lost between nine to 12 years.

Dental Care for your child’s new two front teeth

So now that we have a timeline established let’s talk dental care for those two front teeth. Children’s teeth should be cared for even before they come out. For this reason, our pediatric dentists recommend that you gently wipe your baby’s gums off with a wet washcloth or piece of gauze after feedings. This should continue with a thimble-like rubber brush when the baby starts cutting teeth. If you need a brand recommendation, feel free to call one of our Sacramento or Pleasant Hill dental offices. Non-fluoride toothpaste may be introduced at two years while fluoride toothpaste may be used once your child knows how to spit. Check out our tips on making brushing fun for kids.

Instill the importance of dental care as early as possible. Those front teeth get center stage, so emphasize the need to keep them as white and clean as possible and of course cavity-free. The reason we focus on these teeth is because they are the most common cause for a child needing braces, they can also be susceptible to unseen cavities if your child is not caring for them properly. Teach your kids the proper way to brush (the proper strokes — up, down — and the recommended duration — two minutes) and floss. Tell them which foods to avoid to prevent discoloration in their two front teeth. Make sure that you also schedule regular dental visits so that they become part of their routine. When it comes to tooth loss, those two front teeth are the most disastrous to lose, so train your kids to always keep them healthy and sparkling clean.

As always, pay regular visits to your local pediatric dentist for the best in oral care check ups for your little one! We hear the tooth fairy leaves more money for extra clean teeth these days!

Don’t forget your sunscreen,

Your friends at Surfside Dental