Why is it Important to Take Good Care of Milk Teeth?

Primary teeth or baby teeth start developing underneath the gums while they are still inside their mother's womb, during the second trimester of pregnancy. And these teeth begin to emerge visibly above the gums around six months to one year after the baby's birth. Once a baby starts preschool, they would typically have a set of 20 primary teeth. 

Because of the fact that these baby teeth will eventually fall out, many people think that they are not important for the child's future oral health. However, as per the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, parents should schedule a child's first checkup with a pediatric dentist between the ages of 6 months to one year.

If you are still confused about the importance of taking care of your baby's teeth, we will give you a few reasons:

• Eating and Right Nutrition: Healthy baby teeth allow children to chew and swallow their food properly and facilitate nutritious eating. Those with severely decayed or deformed baby teeth are likely to have malnourishment and dietary deficiencies if they can't properly chew or swallow their food. 
• Speech: Every child starts learning to speak during their early childhood. During these times, the proper positioning of primary teeth facilitates the formation of correct pronunciation and prevents the straying of the tongue while speaking.
• Alignment of Adult Teeth: When a baby tooth falls out, it is typically replaced by an emerging adult tooth. Permanent teeth develop below the primary teeth before they break and emerge through the gums. So, the primary tooth works as a placeholder for the incoming adult teeth. If a baby tooth is missing or lost, the vacant space may cause shifting of the other teeth, leading to the misalignment of the emerging adult teeth as well. 
• Self Esteem: Like adults, children are also conscious of their appearance. If they have crooked teeth, decayed teeth, or bad breath, a child's self-confidence can be affected, making them hesitant to smile and affecting their entire personality.
• Healthy Baby Teeth Results in Excellent Oral Health: Baby teeth usually get decayed or damaged due to the oral bacteria present in acidic foods and drinks. This can lead to tooth pain and infection and can even promote childhood gum disease. When the harmful bacteria erode the child's gums, ligaments, and bone, the primary teeth can even fall out, leading to health and spacing issues with the emerging permanent teeth. It is important to have an adult-guided oral care routine for every child to prevent these dental issues and pave for healthy permanent teeth.
• Baby Teeth With Cavities Can Affect the Health of the Permanent Teeth: If a child's primary teeth have large cavities and abscesses, their emerging permanent teeth will also be at an increased risk of cavities and dental issues in the future. 

When Should You Start Your Kid’s Dental Care? 

The ideal time to begin taking care of your child's teeth is while they're still in the womb. The diet of the mother during pregnancy can affect the health of the baby's primary teeth. Besides, certain studies have shown that the baby's mother's diet during pregnancy can affect their life-long taste choices for sweets., which may eventually lead to poor oral health as they grow up. And it is also important to take your child to We C Kids Dental for their first dental checkup before their first birthday or when the first tooth appears. 

If you still have any doubts about the importance of milk teeth, call We C Kids at (626) 628-2424 and book an appointment with our dentist team.