Thursday, August 30, 2012

Baby Teeth


“Why should I have my child’s teeth fixed? Aren’t they just going to fall out eventually?” This is an important question that we hear from many parents at our dental office. Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, are just as important as permanent teeth. Baby teeth help kids chew and speak properly.  Baby teeth also maintain space in the mouth to allow the permanent teeth to erupt normally.  If a baby tooth is lost early or is missing, the permanent tooth in that area may not come into the mouth in the right position, or may not erupt into the mouth at all, leading to future dental problems.

The first baby tooth usually can be seen in the mouth between 6 and 12 months of age.  The American Dental Association recommends that parents take their children to the dentist by the child’s first birthday.

Baby teeth are prone to decay, pain, and infection in the same manner as permanent teeth.  Even though baby teeth are eventually replaced by permanent teeth, often kids as old as ten or twelve years of age still have one or more of their baby teeth in their mouth.

Baby teeth are very important! Keeping them healthy is a vital component to having a healthy and happy child.