A Growing Mouth: 4-6 Years
Why little teeth are so important
Your child will only have their little teeth for a few years. But even so, they’re well worth looking after.
The main reason is because the little teeth help shape the mouth for
the big teeth that will follow, and then guide the big teeth into
position. So if their little teeth come out too early due to decay or
poor gum care, the subsequent big teeth are more likely to overlap or
grow in the wrong direction.
Establishing good brushing habits when your child has their milk
teeth is a really good idea too, because it will give their big teeth
the best start possible when they come through.
To get a better idea of which teeth your child will grow and when, just take a look at our Tooth Timetable.
Is thumb sucking bad?
Some children find thumb sucking comforting. But if they do it too
often, it can put pressure on their teeth and start pushing them
forward. And that could mean they’ll have to get a brace later on, or
even have teeth removed.
If your child sucks their thumb, there are a few things you could try to help them break the habit.
- Talk to your child about how they feel about thumb sucking and work
out a plan together for how they can stop. After that, point out
whenever their thumb goes back into their mouth, as they might not even
realise they’re doing it.
- Make a weekly chart where they get a sticker for every day (or few
hours) they manage without thumb sucking. Then once they’ve got enough
stickers, give them a reward.
- At their next check up, get the dentist to explain how thumb
sucking might mean a brace later. It might sink in more than if you
tell them!
What are teeth made of?
Teeth are made up of three main parts. On the outside is a
protective layer of enamel - the hardest substance in the body. Below
that is a bone-like substance called dentine, which makes up the
largest part of the tooth. Underneath the dentine, the tooth actually
has a soft centre. This is called the pulp, and it houses all of the
tooth’s blood vessels and nerve endings.
Tooth decay starts with the enamel, which has no feeling. But once
it reaches the dentine, it can start to cause toothache. If decay ever
spreads as far as the pulp, it can be incredibly painful.
But with proper brushing and regular dentist visits, you’ll be able to help stop decay before it causes any pain or discomfort.
What the different teeth do
Your child should grow 20 milk teeth in total (they’ll get 32 adult
teeth later when their mouths have grown big enough). But both sets
will be made up of three different types of teeth designed to make
short work of the different kinds of food we eat.
- Incisors – these are the flat front teeth. They’re made for biting into food.
- Canines – the pointy teeth, which are perfect for tearing food apart.
- Molars – these blunter, broader teeth at the side of your mouth crush and grind food into small pieces.
If you’d like a fun way to teach your child about their different teeth and what they do, our Teeth Mix and Match game is perfect. And if you’d like a better idea of which teeth your child will grow and when, just take a look at our Tooth Timetable.