How Important are My Child’s Baby Teeth?

There’s a common misconception that a baby’s primary teeth are unimportant because they fall out, and there’s little need to take care of them as you would your child’s permanent teeth. Any pediatric dentist will tell you that this is completely wrong. Just because your child’s baby teeth eventually fall out doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Baby teeth do serve numerous functions and should be taken care of properly until the permanent teeth are ready to erupt.

Some valuable roles of baby teeth include:

Promote teeth positioning and alignment

One of the primary functions of baby teeth is to save space for permanent teeth. They ensure that the adult teeth grow in their proper position. Preventing premature loss of baby teeth is important. Otherwise, the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth will tip into the empty space, leaving little room for the adult tooth to erupt properly.

Result in healthy adult teeth

Adult teeth develop close to the roots of the primary teeth, which are much smaller. Baby teeth have thin enamel, and hence cavities spread quickly through them. If the cavities are not treated in time, they can lead to more severe infections in the baby tooth. These infections can impede proper tooth development as they cause damage to the underlying adult teeth.

Promote proper speech and facial development

The presence and proper alignment of baby teeth help in the formation or correct pronunciation when the child is trying to speak. Moreover, the structure of the baby teeth plays a significant role in the development of facial muscles. Their structure is also responsible for the appearance of your child’s face.

Promote good health and nutrition

Baby teeth help introduce your child to solid foods and sample new flavors. The child needs the teeth for chewing. If not taken care of properly, the teeth may develop cavities, which would make it difficult for the child to eat. Consequently, you’ll child may suffer from nutritional deficiencies and other serious health complications.

What are the Consequences of Poor Care of Baby Teeth?

We’ve seen that baby teeth are more prone to cavities than permanent teeth. These cavities can progress to severe dental infections. Decay in a baby tooth is an infectious and transmissible disease. If left unattended to, it can spread fast and result in infections or abscess. Keep in mind that children’s immune systems are still developing. So, infections can wreak havoc in your child’s health. To avoid all these issues, you need to take good care of your child’s baby teeth.

How To Take Care of Your Child’s Baby Teeth

Good oral care should start even before the child’s first tooth starts to show. During your child’s infancy, wipe the gums gently every day with a clean, damp cloth. Start brushing as soon as the baby teeth emerge, and remember to schedule a dental visit before your child turns a year old.

After the first appointment, you should take your child to the pediatric dentist for routine checkups and professional dental cleaning at least once every six months.

If a baby tooth becomes infected, it should be extracted, and a space maintainer inserted to preserve the space. Failure to preserve the space may lead to the adjacent teeth drifting, not only making it difficult for permanent teeth to grow but also challenging to treat dental issues due to crowding.

In Conclusion

Your child’s baby teeth are just as important as adult teeth.  Baby teeth promote proper development of permanent teeth, help introduce the child to solid foods, and promote proper speech development among other benefits. It’s important, therefore, to take good care of your child’s baby teeth.