When a baby is born, they will be born with various reflexes that will help them to thrive and survive in their first few months of their life. A reflex is an action, it occurs as a response to a stimulus. A reflex will occur without actually having a conscious thought associated with it. A reflex just happens naturally. This is true of the extrusion reflex. The extrusion reflex is known as a tongue-thrust reflex too. This reflex will protect a baby from choking on food and various other foreign objects. It is possible to see the extrusion reflex in action while it protects a baby and helps them thrive. You will be able to see it in action when the tongue is depressed or touched by a semisolid or solid item. This might even be so if a spoon touches the tongue of your baby. When this happens, it is a natural response that a baby will have. This is because the thrusting is meant to stop any of the other items from coming through except for a nipple from a bottle or a breast. This reflex fosters the necessary sucking action that will allow the needed liquids to be taken in by a baby.
Extrusion Reflex: A Normal Process of Development
Extrusion reflex is a very normal process of development when a baby is born. The reflex will develop when the baby is between 32 weeks old and 36 weeks old. The extrusion reflex will naturally work together with the sucking reflex because this is needed for the development of a baby. It will usually go away on its own after a period of time. You will notice it starting to fade when a baby is between four months to six months of age. It is usually not needed after six months because solid foods are introduced by this time. When extrusion reflex begins to disappear, it means the baby will be weaning away from the bottle or breast. It is important to seek dental care if the tongue thrusting does not stop after infancy because tooth alignment issues could be the result if extrusion reflex continues past this age.
Dealing with Extrusion Reflex
A parent will not usually need to deal with extrusion reflex because it will resolve itself and disappear once the baby begins to eat food. This is the most common occurrence with extrusion reflex. If it does not go away on its own, it may turn into a tooth alignment issue and dental help may be necessary. It is common for this to disappear on its own. There are some cases in which extrusion reflex does not fade after the age of four months. Every baby is unique and sometimes this may take longer for this reflex to disappear. Some babies might even spit out some foods when a parent introduces solids to their diet. A baby might appear to be refusing the solid foods that are offered and provided. This may be an indication that your baby may not have fully developed their swallowing mechanism and that the swallowing ability may need time to mature longer.
Starting Oral Care
Once the extrusion reflex begins to disappear and your baby starts to eat solid foods, you will need to consider getting an oral care routine in place. It is recommended that your baby has their first dental visit within 6 months of their first erupted tooth or by the age of 1. The Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in Ottawa can assist you in easing into a beneficial oral care plan as your baby changes their diet. It will be important to have a good oral care routine in place by this time. Once the reflex fades, a parent can use a soft cloth to rub on their baby's gums; gentle rubbing is going to remove the food particles. A soft baby toothbrush can be used instead of soft cloth. Contact us today to book your baby’s first dental appointment. During the appointment, an oral care plan will be put into place and your dentist will inform you how to maintain proper oral health at home as your baby grows and matures.
