Children's teeth – a bite sized guide

Many parents wonder when their baby will get their first tooth.  Teething can begin from as young as three months old but most first teeth don't appear until between 4 – 7 months old.  Although, did you know that around one in every 2,000 babies born already has a tooth present?

Whatever age your little one's pearly whites start appearing there are three things to start thinking about now.

One - What to do when teething

Some babies sail through teething with little or no bother at all.  Some, however, display symptoms such as excessive dribbling, chewing on items, running a high temperature, or even diarrhoea or constipation.  So what's the best way to soothe sore gums and how can you make baby feel more comfortable?

Pressure on baby's gums can help relieve the pain.  Try rubbing a clean finger over the gum or offering them a chilled item to chew on such as a teething ring or a cold clean flannel. 

Children's teeth – a bite sized guide

For the drooling, apply a water-based cream under baby's chin, and keep changing their bib regularly to keep them as dry as possible and minimise soreness from saliva.

There are also many over-the-counter remedies available from supermarkets and pharmacies designed to help with teething.  Speak to your pharmacist who will be able to offer the best advice.

Two – How to care for baby's teeth

From when those first teeth appear they need to be brushed by an adult, twice a day, with an age appropriate smear of fluoride toothpaste.   

From three to six years old, teeth will still need cleaning twice a day, but for two minutes each time, with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

Once a child is seven they can move onto an adult-sized toothbrush.  Although they can generally brush their own teeth, it is a good idea to check that they are doing it for the full two minutes.

Three – Healthy eating for children at indoor play areas

According to the NHS, children are having more than double the amount of sugar in their diet than they should.  Not only is this bad for kids' health, as it can lead to weight gain and other diseases, but can cause tooth decay.

A couple of easy changes that can be made include opting for foods and drinks that are labelled with no added sugar or sugar-free, and making smart swaps for kids like a fruit cereal bar for a piece of fruit or a packet of crisps for cheese and crackers.

Here at Lets Explore, we offer a range of healthy snacks in our café to keep your little ones fuelled when at soft play.  What's more, all our healthy treats are at children's level so they are more likely to choose a wholesome and nourishing nibble.  If you watch our 'child's eye view video' you'll understand why they need nutritionally topping up, as our three floors of kids' play area can burn a lot of calories.