Are Baby Teeth Really that Important to my Child?

When you have a newborn baby, there are so many things to think about. As a parent, you will worry about their feed schedule, sleeping schedule, doctors appointments, if your baby is healthy and happy, and that’s just the beginning. What about when your baby starts to have their teeth come in? A big question our pediatric dentist gets often is, are baby teeth really that important if they are going to fall out anyway.

Why are Baby Teeth Important?

Baby teeth are important because they have the potential to show your children the importance of taking care of their mouth and teeth. Some of the biggest factors that make baby teeth important are:

• Help with nutrition & proper chewing
• Aid your child in speech development
• Help with self-esteem by providing a beautiful smile
• Lets your child pay attention in school without being distracted by dental pain
• Saves space in the jaw for their permanent adult teeth

Your child’s baby teeth will help your child speak clearly and chew their food thoroughly. If your child is losing baby teeth prematurely, then the adult tooth can just float into any space instead of coming in where the missing tooth allows. This can make adult teeth be crooked or crowded.

How do Children Lose their Baby Teeth?

A baby tooth will normally stay put in your child’s mouth until their adult teeth are ready to come through their gums. The baby tooth roots will start to dissolve, then the tooth will become loose and fall out. You will be able to see their permanent tooth in a few days up to a week after that.

What to do if Your Child gets a Cavity in their Baby Tooth

There are some of your child’s baby teeth that they will need until they’re about 12 years old, and sometimes even longer. If you neglect your child’s baby teeth some of the consequences are pain, infected gums and jaws, premature loss of teeth, and tooth decay are just some of the symptoms. Proper care of your child’s baby teeth is essential to their overall health.

If you start your child off with coming into the pediatric dentist they will have great oral health for their life. You should make sure that you bring your child into a dental office that specializes in children’s dentistry like All Star Dental. Come and see us at any of our 5 locations around Chicago, IL. To schedule an appointment you can contact us on our website.