All about your infant's mouth

Right after an infant is born, a physician or nurse practitioner will examine the body of the child including the mouth. Most of the time, the baby's gums, soft palate, and tongue are developed already and are ready to function. In some cases, there are some harmless variations that catch parents off-guard

• Epstein's pearls are small, pearl-like spots that appear on the roof of the mouth which will tend to disappear within a few weeks
• Bohn's nodules are small, whitish bumps that look like Epstein's pearls although they develop on the side of the gum instead of the roof of the mouth
• Inclusion cysts are small bumps that appear on the crest of the gum ridge and are considered to be harmless
• Natal and neonatal teeth. Infants are born with one or more teeth and they are referred to natal teeth. There are babies whose teeth emerge within the first month of their life. They are called neonatal teeth. Since these teeth are primary teeth, it is good idea to keep them if possible. There are times where natal or neonatal teeth have to be removed. These teeth must be removed if they are loose, if they are interfering with feeding, or if they are irritating the tongue or the lip

• All about your infant's mouth
• How should you take care of your infant's mouth?
• What happens during teething?
• How should you deal with sucking habits?