“Why do baby teeth matter? They fall out anyways, right?”
If we were like the sharks every time a tooth gets loose or decayed, a new one will come in place to replace it. That would’ve been nice but in reality people get one set of baby teeth that fall out by the time we reach 12-13 years of age and one permanent set of teeth that are supposed to last us a lifetime.
Primary teeth, or baby teeth, are very important to a child’s physical, emotional, and social development. Here are five reasons why baby teeth should be taken care of just as we take care of our permanent (adult) teeth.
1. “Trainers” teeth
To begin with baby teeth give our kids the opportunity to learn how to take care of their teeth, so that when their permanent teeth come in, they’re able to keep them for their entire life.
2. Good nutrition and proper chewing
By age of 2, infants are equipped with full set of 20 well functioning teeth to chew on real food.
3. Speech and facial development.
The presence of baby teeth assist in the formation of correct pronunciation during speech. The tooth structure also provides support for the developing facial muscles and gives shape to your child’s face.
4. Proper tooth alignment
Baby teeth stimulate the jaw to grow, save the space for the adult teeth and guide them in their proper development. The primaries hold the spaces for permanent teeth and when the jaw is big enough for the permanent teeth to come out, they push the baby teeth out of the way. If a baby tooth is lost before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt, adjacent teeth will drift and tip into the empty space. Therefore, the permanent tooth has less room to come in and can be blocked from erupting into its ideal position.
5. Healthy permanent teeth. The permanent teeth develop very close to the roots of the baby teeth. Cavities in baby teeth spreads very quickly through their thin enamel. If cavities are left untreated, the baby tooth can develop an infection or abscess which can cause damage to the permanent tooth underneath.
How to Take Care of Baby Teeth
- Brush your child’s baby teeth twice a day as soon as they come in. Using toothpaste is not important at this point. If your child does not like the taste of toothpaste you can use dry toothbrush or finger brush.
- Do not let your baby fall asleep with a bottle in the mouth. You can quickly wipe off the milk with secured piece of dry gauze or simple give water after the milk.
- Floss your child’s teeth as soon as he or she has two teeth that touch.
- Visit a friendly dentist to check your child’s mouth and teeth development.
The bottom line: Teaching your child to develop good oral care habits with their primary teeth is very important! These early habits will help them keep their permanent teeth healthy for life!
If you have any questions about how to teach your kids the important lessons of proper oral hygiene call us. We love teaching kids about their teeth and telling them all about how to keep them healthy.