Your baby's oral hygiene is an important factor in his overall health. Even though your baby may just be starting to get his first set of teeth, good oral hygiene can help reduce an excess of bacteria that leads to the development of gingivitis and periodontitis. Left untreated, gum diseases can cause tooth loss in both adults and children.

When the plane takes off and the cabin pressure changes, you can chew gum or yawn to try to regulate your ear pressure. Your toddler probably doesn't have the ability to perform these functions on demand. With a little education and some mom-trickery, you can avoid the painful popping -- and the potential for a meltdown that it may bring with it.

Allergy symptoms range from mild and annoying to serious and life-threatening. When you're allergic to something, your body perceives it as an invader and dispatches chemical messengers to immune system cells. Allergy shots expose your body to very small amounts of what you're allergic to so your body can safely and gradually build up immunity. Allergy shots take time to work, but the effects are often well worth the time investment. There's even some evidence that allergy shots can prevent asthma in children, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.

Children often experience respiratory disorders that cause coughing. Some conditions are characterized by labored breathing or wheezing. Several disorders can cause wheezing and various accompanying symptoms. While home treatments may help with mild coughing and wheezing, serious symptoms require the attention of your child's pediatrician.

A milk allergy is the most common food allergy for kids, but most of them outgrow it by the time they are 2 or 3 years old. A milk allergy is different from being lactose intolerant, but many people confuse the two. With lactose intolerance, you have a reaction to the sugar lactose. With a milk allergy, you react to the proteins in milk.

A child does not have to be totally deaf to be hearing impaired, although deafness is certainly a hearing impairment. Hearing difficulties can vary from a partial to a complete hearing loss and from permanent damage to a correctable condition. Some children are born with hearing damage and others develop the loss later, perhaps by overexposure to loud noise.

Some children are itching to get contact lenses from the minute they find out they need to wear glasses. Contact lenses are usually not recommended for children under the age of 12, according to Kids Health. A pair of contacts are much smaller than a pair of glasses, so they're easier to lose. They're also a bit tricky to put in, especially the first few times your child tries.

Even though they're called cold sores or fever blisters, these fluid-filled swellings have nothing to do with a cold or a fever. A cold sore is a contagious herpes virus that your child probably contracted from sharing a cup, toy or utensil with someone who has it. A kid can also get a cold sore if someone with the active virus -- visible sore or not -- kisses him. Most kids get a cold sore at some point during their childhood; the virus may flare up again or lie dormant forever.

Tylenol is a pain reliever that adults use for a variety of discomforts. Tylenol also comes in a liquid formula for young children and babies. While the recommended dosages may help relieve pain and fever, giving your baby too much Tylenol can pose certain health risks. As with all medications, always follow the label instructions or your doctor's directives.

Common childhood illnesses often affect the throat, causing the tonsils to swell and redden. Viruses and bacteria can make your child's tonsils swell, as well as increase his risk of developing other symptoms. While swollen tonsils can cause discomfort, certain practices can help ease the pain. Depending on the extent of his symptoms, your child may need to see his pediatrician.