Do we really need to brush baby teeth? After all, they are just temporary and we get a brand new pair after the baby teeth fall out. Do baby teeth get cavities? When should a child first see the dentist? Does my child have the correct amount of teeth? There are so many questions that parents ask regarding the oral health of their children. If you are asking questions like these we want you to know that you are not alone and not without resources. At Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry, we are dedicated not only to providing excellent dental care but also to the education of everyone within our reach. In today’s blog post we will discuss the “baby” teeth. We hope you learn something and enjoy.
Why Do We Have Baby Teeth?
The baby teeth are technically termed primary teeth. Primary teeth begin erupting into the mouth at a very early age. Once our teeth have erupted into the rightful place in the mouth they do not grow in size. Teeth are important for chewing and speaking in childhood so the presence of our primary teeth are very beneficial to us. As we grow during childhood our jaws continue to grow. That said, if our primary teeth remained in the mouth for our entire lives they would not be adequate in size to fill the necessary spaces. The good news is that our permanent teeth begin to erupt and their presence resorbs the primary tooth roots and eventually we lose those teeth.
Why Do We Need to Take Care of Our Primary Teeth?
If you ask any dentist or hygienist they will tell you that the primary teeth are extremely important to keep healthy. There are several reasons for this. First, as stated above, we need the primary teeth to eat and speak. If these teeth are lost from decay we will have open spaces and speech development can be altered or halted. Second, these teeth hold space in the arch for the permanent teeth. This can be illustrated by describing what happens when primary teeth are lost early. When a primary tooth is lost before it’s time the adjacent teeth can drift into the space. Permanent teeth eruption can be deflected, slowed, or inhibited. This can cause drastic problems and significant expense later in life. Another important implication of losing primary teeth too early is that depending on the time of loss, the permanent teeth eruption timing can either be delayed or expedited. This can cause many different problems that can last well into adulthood.
How Do We Take Care of the Primary Teeth?
It is important to note that our blog serves as a venue for many different educational topics. We encourage you to read our pediatric dentistry section as well as past blog posts regarding childhood caries, how to teach your children proper oral health habits, sports injuries and mouthguards, and oral healthcare guidelines for your children. In addition, the American Dental Association has some terrific information regarding “babies and kids”. Finally, some great info can be found on the American Pediatric Dentistry Academy’s website.
If you have questions or comments, we welcome you to contact us electronically at any time or call (904)285-7711.