In this week’s article, I will talk about the importance of primary or “baby” teeth. By the age of 3 these teeth come in and are usually all gone and replaced by “adult teeth” by the age of 13. Most parents and kids don’t take care of these teeth because they know they’re going to fall out. Dr. Dale Mayfield says regarding baby teeth “by age 4 more than 25% of children have at least one cavity, and by age 5 about 60% have experienced some tooth decay. What parents don’t know is that there are negative effects in the future.

Why we need healthy “baby teeth”

  • Create space for permanent teeth
  • Allow for proper speech development
  • Develop good habits for future hygiene

What happens if these teeth aren’t taken care of

If a tooth is damaged and decayed, it may have to be removed completely. If this were to happen and a spacer wasn’t placed, then the surrounding teeth would drift along the gums and cause the “adult” or permanent teeth to grow in at odd angles, or incorrect places in general. Missing teeth can also affect articulation, teeth are used to pronounce the “T” sound, being one of the most prominent sounds developed using teeth. It is important as parents that you monitor your children’s teeth by helping them brush, talking with their dentist, and encouraging them to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing twice a day.

Here are a few links that relate to this week’s post

https://www.dentistrytoday.com/benevis-highlights-the-importance-of-caring-for-primary-teeth/

https://www.acadianapediatricdentistry.com/the-importance-of-baby-teeth

https://yourdentalhealthresource.com/the-role-of-baby-teeth-in-your-childs-speech-development/#:~:text=The%20teeth%20work%20together%20with%20the%20tongue%20and,more%20difficult%20for%20children%20to%20properly%20pronounce%20words.