How Important Are Baby Teeth?
Baby teeth, or deciduous teeth, are the first teeth we get during infancy. Some people think they aren’t important because they are eventually replaced by permanent teeth, but this is a misconception. Baby teeth are just as important for children as permanent teeth are for adults. If a child has underdeveloped or damaged primary teeth, this can result in several health and wellness problems. Let’s take a closer look at baby teeth and their purpose, so you can better understand their importance and how to take care of them.
Development of Baby Teeth
The first pair of baby teeth erupt at around 6 months of age. The two bottom central incisors come out first and shortly thereafter, the two top ones. Next come the bottom lateral incisors followed by the top lateral incisors. Baby molars appear next, usually in different orders but in pairs. Finally, the top and bottom canines appear one after the other. Children have a total of 20 teeth at age three.
Facts About Primary and Secondary Teeth
By age six, the first permanent tooth may peep in and kick out the baby tooth, usually starting with the top central incisors. By age 12 to 13, permanent teeth should replace all baby teeth. Premolars don’t have baby counterparts, but they grow in above the baby molars while adult molars erupt in the backmost part of the gums where no baby teeth had been.
Why Do We Have Baby Teeth?
The easiest way to explain why we even have baby teeth is simply that permanent teeth are too big for infants’ mouths. Imagine a baby with a smile full of secondary teeth, complete with molars and wisdom teeth. Not only will they look horrific, but also there is no way for all the adult teeth to fit in a baby’s mouth. However, babies and kids have to have teeth until their permanent ones come. For this reason, our bodies create a temporary set of teeth that are small enough to fit our mouths during infancy and early childhood.
Teeth play a vital role in children’s health and development. They are important because baby teeth:
- Enable children to eat solid foods and receive adequate nutrition that their growing bodies need.
- Assist in children’s speech development. Alphabet sounds and phonics are highly dependent on the construction of an individual’s mouth, including the position of teeth.
- Help in the eruption of permanent teeth as baby teeth act as place-holders for most adult teeth. If your child loses a baby tooth way before the permanent tooth is due to come, it can cause problems when the time comes for the permanent tooth to erupt.
Best Ways to Care for Primary Teeth
To ensure that your child grows up with beautiful pearly whites, here are some reminders in caring for baby teeth.
- Teething. During the first few years of life, your child will grow teeth in intervals. The experience of erupting teeth for the first time can be difficult, especially because teeth need to cut through the gums to erupt. Babies, in particular, are intolerant to such pain and discomfort. The best way to help your child is by using a cold teether to soothe the pain, massaging the gums and giving painkillers as instructed by a pediatrician.
- Brushing. At age one, a baby usually has four to six teeth. You can start practicing dental hygiene by using a finger toothbrush or washcloth to clean your baby’s teeth and tongue. At two years, you can use a children’s toothbrush along with kiddie toothpaste. Some toothbrushes have lights and sounds which make brushing more interesting and fun for young kids.
- Dental problems. If your child loses a tooth too early, you need to ensure that you reserve the space for the future permanent tooth that grows in its place. One way to do this is by getting space maintainers from Esteem Dental. Children with tooth decay aren’t usually treated with root canal or tooth extraction, but our dentist will be able to provide a treatment plan for any problems your child’s teeth has.
- Professional dental care. As early as one year, you can bring your child to a dental clinic for fluoridation. Getting enough fluoride is essential in strengthening your child’s teeth. At five or six years, your child can get professional dental cleaning once or twice a year to prevent plaque buildup and tooth decay.
Finding a Pediatric Dentist
Stellar Dental is a family dental clinic that offers services for both adult and pediatric patients. If you want your child to grow up with knowledge and awareness about dental health, our clinic is the place to go. Just leave us a message and we will be more than happy to cater to your children’s dental needs.
Stellar Dental is a leading dental service provider based in Maryland with offices at White Oak and Hyattsville. We strive to provide the best dental care solutions and a state-of-the-art facility to our patients. Our major services include – dental implants, Invisalign, braces, 6 Month Smiles and other general dentistry procedures. We have a team of warm, friendly and compassionate dental professionals.
