Why Healthy Baby Teeth Are Important for Your Kids

They might just be “temps”, but your child’s baby teeth play a vital role in their on-going oral health, and overall health…long after the tooth fairy takes them away.

Studies continue to show that there is a direct correlation between oral health and longevity. The more teeth you have the more likely you are to live a longer life. Keeping your kids’ teeth healthy is also a great way to guide them towards a lifetime of better health.

And it begins with your kids’ baby teeth. Sure, they be temps, but they should be taken care of with the same level of care as permanent teeth.

Why are baby teeth so important? Because they will play a very important role for your child’s on-going oral health.

Here are 5 Reasons Why Your Child’s Baby Teeth Are So Important

1. They Set the Space for Permanent Teeth–
   The temps help align and position your child’s permanent teeth into their proper position. If your child loses a baby tooth too early due to tooth decay, the neighboring teeth can drift into that space, giving the permanent tooth less room to come in. This can lead to a crooked tooth or crowd out another tooth.
2. They Protect Permanent Teeth
   Baby teeth are smaller, they also have thinner enamel, which makes these teeth more at risk for tooth decay and cavities. Because your child’s permanent teeth develop close to the roots of their baby teeth, this can hinder permanent tooth development should tooth decay develop and cavities are not treated. Tooth decay from baby teeth can potentially damage the nearby permanent tooth underneath.
3. They Support Your Child’s Overall Health and Nutrition
   Healthy baby teeth will help your child chew food without any difficulty. But if they experience tooth pain, caused by tooth decay, this can affect their ability to chew their food, which may then lead to nutritional deficiencies.
4. They Support Your Child’s Speech
   Teeth, mouth and lips all work together to form sounds. When your child’s baby teeth are healthy, and properly positioned, this will also helps support their ability to pronounce and sound out words.
5. They Help Promote Self-esteem & Confidence
   It’s tough to concentrate when you have dental pain. Tooth decay  can lead to cavities which are painful. This pain can interfere with your child’s ability to concentrate in school, or elsewhere. And a hurting mouth, or decayed tooth, can get in the way of your child’s smile, or make them feel less confident.

Baby Dental Visits

So, when should your child start their dental visits? Visiting the dentist at an early age helps your child get used to “visiting the dentist” and it also helps parents get some good oral hygiene tips. The recommended age for a first visit is around your child’s first birthday, or sometime after their first tooth has erupted.

A pleasant first dental visit is the first step.  It’s important to make your child’s first visit a success, so we’ll strive to make it as fun and comfortable for them as possible. They can sit on a parents lap, or go up and down on the dental chair on their own.

During the visit, we’ll also look at their existing teeth for any signs of decay, check out their bite and verify that there aren’t any problems with their gums or jaw. And we’ll give parents plenty of helpful oral hygiene tips so that they can better manage their child’s dental care.

Healthy baby teeth set the tone for healthy permanent teeth. Schedule a Baby Teeth check-up with us today – please call us at (206) 242-0066 to schedule your visit or request your appointment here!

P.S. How to Prevent Tooth Decay for Babies & Infants!