Why do baby teeth or milk teeth matter? They fall out anyway, right? Dentists come across this question often. However, the answer to this is quite simple! The milk or the primary teeth are essential for a number of reasons. They add on to a child’s emotional, social and physical development. Moreover, the primary teeth have a direct impact on the child’s oral health, thus making it imperative that you monitor their dental health from the very beginning. Here are some reasons why the milk teeth should be cared for just as we take care of our permanent teeth.
Guiding Force:
The baby teeth act as a framework for guiding the eruption of the adult or permanent teeth. These teeth hold a place in the mouth for the permanent teeth. So when your kid’s adult teeth erupt through the gum, there is already a vacant space for them, thus reducing the chances of overlapping or crowding teeth.
Nutritional Value:
The milk teeth allow children to chew and eat their food, in turn providing them with proper nutrition. This contributes to both their general and oral well being. Development of cavities in the baby teeth can lead to dental pain. When a child’s chewing function is compromised, he may suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Moreover, if these cavities or decay are left unattended, there is a risk for infection, which can spread to other body parts.
The health of Permanent Teeth:
The adult or permanent teeth usually develop between the roots of the milk teeth. The milk teeth are much smaller in size, so, cavities once formed, can quickly spread through their thin enamel. The untreated cavities can develop infection or abscess that can hinder the growth of young permanent tooth underneath.
Speech Development:
The baby teeth aid in speech development. Speech and pronunciation usually result from the intermingled mechanism of the tongue, cheeks and lips along with teeth. The tooth structure also provides support in developing facial muscles giving a shape to your child’s face.
Morale Booster:
As children grow old, the presence of healthy teeth adds on to their ‘feel good’ factor. A beautiful smile with a healthy set of teeth boosts their self-confidence. In contrast, the mere presence of decayed or damaged teeth hinders a child’s social interactions bringing down their confidence drastically.
Thus by inculcating the habit of good oral care to children from an early age can help protect their smile for decades to come.
When should we start taking our children to dental clinic Parramatta?
Before your child’s first birthday or once his/her first tooth erupts is the right time to take your kid for the first dental appointment. Subsequently, your child must be seen by the dentist Parramatta once in every six months.