<h1><strong>THIS IS WHY YOUR CHILD’S MILK TEETH ARE SO IMPORTANT</strong></h1> <p>Baby teeth play an important role in your child’s overall health, development, and well-being. They are vitally important for the future life of a child. Just because your child’s baby teeth eventually fall out, and are replaced by permanent teeth doesn’t mean they are not important. Baby teeth are very important to your child’s health and development. They help children chew properly, speak clearly and smile. They hold space in the jaws for permanent teeth which develop underneath them, into their correct positions, and also help muscles to develop correctly. Baby teeth begin to develop beneath the gums during the second trimester of pregnancy, but teeth really start to erupt through the gums between the ages of 6 months to one year after birth. Most children have a full set of 20 baby milk teeth by the time they are 3 years old. Even though they will eventually be replaced by permanent adult teeth, baby teeth are very important and should be well looked after, checked, or fixed if there is a problem.</p>
When a baby tooth is lost too early, other teeth may move into the empty space and block the way for a permanent tooth. This can make teeth crooked or crowded. Baby teeth are prone to cavities just like adult teeth. Once the decay sets in, it can spread quickly and lead to pain and infection, or abscess without proper precautions. This can be especially harmful to children because their immune systems are not fully developed. If a tooth becomes infected and needs to be extracted, your Dentist will recommend inserting a space maintainer because the guide to hold the space for a permanent successor (baby tooth) is lost. If space is not preserved, other teeth may drift, causing difficult-to-treat crowding, or other problems when permanent teeth come in. Neglect of primary teeth can result in a number of problems. It has been found that children who experienced tooth decay in their baby teeth, had a greater risk of developing tooth decay in their permanent teeth, than children who maintained healthy primary teeth. Proper hygiene through brushing, flossing and professional cleaning of baby teeth is essential for the development of healthy permanent teeth, as decay can happen at any age. That’s why starting infants off with good oral care can help protect their teeth for decades to come. The key is to start positive habits at an early age. The most important aspect of taking care of your child’s baby teeth is the example you help to set. Baby teeth set the stage for a lifetime of happy and healthy smiles.
HOW CAN I PREPARE MY CHILD FOR HIS/HER FIRST DENTAL VISIT?
• To prepare the child to be comfortable in the dental surroundings, parents must start preparing the child a few days prior to the appointment.
• At no time, the child should be made scared of a dentist by telling the child that we will ask the dentist to remove your teeth or give you an injection.
• Parents should speak about going to the dental appointments using positive connotation both before and after each visit.
• You should never talk of the words like drilling, painful, hurt, pain, injection and needle.
WHAT HAPPENES IF I LET MY CHILDS BABY TOOTH INFECTED/UNTREATED?
The most common symptom of a tooth infection is that the child complains of a toothache. If the sore and throbbing tooth is left untreated, it could become infected and spread to other places in your body. It can lead to a swelling which makes it difficult to fully open the mouth. If the infection is not treated it can lead to severe symptoms like:
• Fever
• Swelling
• Difficulty in breathing
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Red gums
• Severe pain on chewing or biting