Baby Teeth Care

teeth development

The teeth begin to form in the embryo, months before a baby is born; they develop from a core of cells in the center o each jaw. This core gradually grows backwards on each side, through the areas, which eventually become hardened as jawbones.

Small side branches of cells break off and form tooth buds, one bud for each tooth, making 52 buds in all. These develop into tooth shapes, and then start to form the hard dental tissues - enamel, dentine and cement - to become fully formed teeth, embedded in the gums.

At birth, all the deciduous teeth are formed, except for their roots. the tips of the first permanent teeth are formed, except for their roots. The tips o the first permanent molars are also hardened, although these teeth do not emerge until the child is about six or eight years old.

babies cut their first milk teeth at about six to eight months; and the last ones, the second molars are through by about two-and-a-half to three years. these times vary widely, however, from child to child, and few babies are born with teeth already showing. At seven to eight months, two upper teeth appear, and at nine to ten months, four-more teeth, and so on, until there are no milk teeth.

the first permanent molars grow into place behind the milk teeth at about six years old. then the milk teeth come away, pushed out by the growth of their permanent successors. this is usually a painless process, the milk tooth being shed with virtually no bleeding of allowed enough time.

The deciduous incisor are replaced at seven to eight years of age, and the deciduous molars are gone by the age of 10-13. The second permanent molars emerge at about 15, and the third molars, or wisdom teeth, at 15-25, although often they are impacted (jammed by neighboring teeth) and may never grow fully.

will be continued in the next post