Baby Teeth Development
Why Brush Baby Teeth if They’ll Just Fall out Eventually? by Layne Benzley DDS
Do you really need to brush and floss your child’s baby teeth, if they’re just going to fall out in a few years to make way for permanent teeth? Find out why early preventative measures and good oral care are essential, as early as one year of age.
Baby teeth (or primary teeth) serve many purposes and proper care and treatment is important to your child’s development.
Learning to Talk
Many of the common sounds in our language require the tongue to interact with the teeth in order to pronounce the sound or word properly. Baby teeth aid with speech development in toddlers and small children.
Solid Foods
Many babies begin trying to eat rice cereal and baby food by approximately six months of age. As your child progresses, the eruption of baby teeth help him or her to soon be able to chew soft foods such as banana or soft cooked vegetables, before progressing to a more diverse array of foods.
Self-Image
Teaching your child to take good care of his or her teeth can help promote a positive self-image, as well as emphasizing the importance of good habits of self-care.
Holding a Place
Primary teeth also serve an important purpose as the placeholder for adult teeth. If for any reason your child must undergo extraction of a tooth, your pediatric dentist may recommend placement of a spacer, a small metal device designed to prevent adjoining teeth from shifting into the space left by the extracted tooth.
Most children have already begun elementary school before losing their first tooth around age six, which is when the roots of baby teeth start to dissolve and loosen. The primary molars and canines usually won’t be lost until around age 11 to 12. Improper care or neglect of these primary teeth can result in decay (which can lead to infection), may adversely impact the development of adult teeth, or lead to space loss and subsequent need for extensive orthodontic treatment.
When you take the time to help your youngster floss and brush their own teeth, you are laying an early foundation for future Good Oral Hygiene Habits.
Getting Started
It is never too early or too late to start taking care of your child’s primary teeth. Truly, it is useful to start practicing appropriate oral care habits as soon as infancy. Before baby teeth begin to show, you can gently wipe your baby’s gums with a damp washcloth or a soft fingertip brush. There is no need to use toothpaste at this point, yet this practice will help your baby get used to the routine of daily oral care, which can set an expectation for daily tooth brushing once the baby teeth start to appear.
Don’t be too quick to hand the reigns over to your toddler — even as your child gets older, he or she will require your assistance to ensure proper brushing and flossing. Because your child is developing muscles and hand control throughout their childhood, most children are not ready to brush their teeth completely on their own until around the age of eight.
AAPD Recommendation
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends taking your child to see the dentist within six months of the eruption of the first tooth, or no later than the child’s first birthday. It is not unheard of for a child to begin cutting teeth after their first birthday, but even in the absence of baby teeth, a visit to the pediatric dentist is recommended by age one, both to help your child begin to feel comfortable in a dentist’s chair, and to answer your questions about the child’s oral development and proper care.
About the Author
Layne Benzley is a Pediatric Dentist in Castle Rock, Colorado. His office, Castle Rock Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, is located at 753 Maleta Lane in Castle Rock, CO. To make an appointment call 303-660-5373 during business hours of 8-5. Please visit us at crsmilesdentistry.com
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