It’s important to prepare your child for the arrival of his baby teeth. Orthodontists confirm that many children’s jaws are too small to accommodate all their permanent teeth; often they have to extract some to prevent overcrowding.
Breastfed babies have the advantage. The exercise of suckling promotes good jaw development (“U-shaped” jaw) and encourages the growth of strong, healthy teeth. Bottle-fed babies develop a V-shaped jaw which leads to malocclusion – the misalignment of teeth and incorrect bite between the teeth of the two dental arches.
When the baby is 8 months old, it’s recommended that you change to solid food. The firmer texture of solid foods is preferred over the pureed commercial brands.
A child who doesn’t develop good eating habits early, will often reject firmer foods further delaying proper dental formation. Naturally, the transition to solid food should always be done under supervision and with caution.
Your child’s first molars should appear between 12-18 months of age. When they do, put them to work. Learning to chew firmer foods will help your child’s dental arches develop properly.