Q I am Pregnant and my Midwife has advised me to go and see my dentist why is this?
A You should see your dentist regularly every six months anyway, however, due to hormonal changes in your body during pregnancy some women have problems with their gums. The gums may become swollen and bleed more easily. The dentist will be able to examine your mouth and give you advice.

Q How safe is Dental treatment during pregnancy? A Dental treatment is safe during pregnancy. There is no difference in the treatment you receive during pregnancy. Many dentists advise against using amalgam or replacing amalgam fillings during pregnancy, but if this necessary it can be done quite safely. It is not advisable to have any routine x-rays taken during pregnancy but in cases of emergency treatment it can be done safely. If the treatment is not urgent then it may be best to wait till after the birth of the baby. Q My grandmother says that during pregnancy my teeth will start to breakdown because they will loose calcium. What can I do? A This is a belief held by some older members our community and luckily is not true. Teeth do not loose calcium during pregnancy. Your gums may bleed more and be come swollen, so it is important to see a dentist and get some advice.

Q Will I need to give my baby fluoride supplements?
A Fluoride has been shown to be good for teeth as it strengthens them and protects against decay. Some areas of the country have naturally fluoridated water where as in other areas it may be added to the water. There are still certain regions that do not allow water fluoridation.
If you live in an area where the water is not fluoridated then it may be beneficial to give your baby fluoride supplements. These can be given from 6 months onwards. It is best to check with your dentist whether your area has water fluoridation or if your child requires fluoride supplements.

Q My baby has its first tooth and I am wondering when I should take him for his first check up?
A The first tooth appears at about 6 months of age, and the first visit to the dentist should be as soon as possible. It is important to get him used to the surgery and the dentist. At the first visit the dentist will introduce the surgery and just count the teeth. If any treatment is required, another appointment will be given for this. The dental treatment for children is very simple and painless; the majority of treatment can be done without any injections. The dentist will give you advise on cleaning your baby's teeth and on other matters such as diet.

Q My baby is 1 year old and he has started to dribble a lot and keeps putting his hands in his mouth. He also cries a lot and is off his food. Can teething cause this?
A Some children suffer no teething pain and some have quite a difficult time. It is best to see your dentist and make sure that there is no other cause for the pain. There are some teething gels that can be rubbed on to the gums that may help, however it is usually very difficult to apply these. If you are sure it is teething pain then the recommended dose of calpol should help, but do check with your dentist first.

Q My baby has 4 teeth now, I am wondering when I should start cleaning them, and what should I use?
A You should get a baby toothbrush and first use water only to gently brush the teeth and gums. It is best to start brushing the teeth as soon as they come through. You can use toothpaste but only a very small amount must be used (just a touch) as the baby will not be able to rinse out and the toothpaste will be swallowed. As children may not like the flavour of traditional toothpaste you can try some milk teeth toothpastes. These toothpastes have the benefit of lower fluoride content. Your dentist will be able to advise you further on this.

Q. My son is 10 months old and he hasn't cut any teeth yet, most of the babies his age seem to have got one or two. Is he a bit late and will this effect the development of his speech?
A. The first baby tooth usually erupts at about six months after birth. However, there is a variation in eruption times between individual children. Delayed eruption of the deciduous teeth will not damage the permanent teeth, but the permanent teeth may also have delayed eruption. It would be best to have an examination for your baby with your dentist.

Q. My daughter Becky is 1 year old and she only has 2 teeth. Becky still likes her food to be pureed, if I feed her any mashed up food with lumps, she begins to gag and makes herself sick. I have spoken to my GP and health visitor about this problem, they say Becky is continuing to thrive and her weight and height is progressing along the percentile chart as she is supposed to. I am however concerned that she will be missing out on nutrition and that continuing to eat pureed food will effect the further development of her dentition.
A. Eating hard food does not strengthen your dentition and having puréed food is not bad for your teeth as long as it does not have a high sugar content. Your daughter should have developed more teeth by this age and it would be best to have an examination with your dentist who may want to take an x-ray to see if the other deciduous teeth are present.

Q. My baby son who is aged 2 months and cries for about 2 hours every evening, often when we are in the car he cries a lot or even when we go shopping. Last week in desperation I gave him a dummy, the packaging did say that it was a orthodontic soother. Will the dummy effect my son's teeth or palate?
A. Dummies can affect the growth pattern of the upper jaw especially if the child continues to use it after 16- 24 months. At that stage it should be easier to stop using the dummy as a comforter, however, while he is still very young it would be best to keep using it. This is also true of digit sucking habits. It is sometimes more difficult to stop a child sucking a finger or thumb than to take a dummy away.

Q. My 18-month-old son is now eating a varied diet, however I also seem to have less control on what he eats. He has now decided he likes drinks like Orange Squash, Ribena, and fresh Orange juice. We do brush his teeth twice a day. I have read that these drinks can damage my son's teeth but it is really difficult to stop him when other children are drinking them. Would it make any difference if I bought the reduced sugar drinks or something like "Ribena Toothkind"
A. Ribena Toothkind is better than ordinary Ribena and other sweet or acidic drinks like orange juice, but even this can cause tooth decay if it is consumed excessively. If any sweet or acid drinks are consumed many times a day this can lead to cavities. The best way is to limit the drink to once a day at meal times and to clean the teeth afterwards or switch to water or milk.

Should you require any further dental information or advice on Childcare, please contact The Dentist@ Dentecom.

Click Here for Dentecom Junior FAQ's