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Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, are crucial for several reasons. These teeth help your little ones in Richmond to speak clearly and chew food naturally. They also assist in the formation of the path followed by the permanent teeth once they’re ready to erupt.
In effect, healthy baby teeth are as crucial to infants as healthy permanent teeth are to adults.
The journey to ideal oral health begins in infancy, making early Luna Pediatric Dentistry visits a cornerstone of lifelong general well-being. Besides regular checkups, the encounter your child has with a dentist helps establish positive oral care habits.
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Why baby teeth are important for your child?
- Have Self-Confidence: It’s not uncommon to find children with decayed teeth covering their mouths when talking or choosing not to smile altogether. Having a bright, healthy smile provides a child with the confidence they need to socialize.
- Chew and Eat Foods: The kids in Houston Heights need to eat healthy foods if they’re to grow and be strong. However, children with decayed teeth are less likely to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and other crunchy foods. These can significantly impact their growth.
Baby teeth typically begin coming in at between six and ten months. By the time the infant is celebrating their third birthday, they should have developed all 20 primary teeth. Caring for these teeth is important for their health.
Developmental Milestones: Baby Teeth and Beyond
Kids go through many milestones during their formative years. As a parent trying to juggle multiple responsibilities, there’re days when it will feel like time is passing slowly. And then there’re times when it will seem like your child is growing too fast.
Infants typically begin shedding their baby teeth at six years to help pave the way for permanent teeth. Shedding often starts with the front bottom teeth, with the canines and molars being the last to drop off.
The primary teeth are critical as they serve as the foundation of any beautiful smile. According to the Kids Dentist in Richmond, baby teeth play the following awesome roles:
- Prepare the Child for a Healthy Smile: Baby teeth have one simple job: to hold the right amount of space in preparation for the eruption of the permanent teeth.
- Simplify Eating and Chewing: Having a set of healthy primary teeth ensures that a child can eat nourishing food. Babies need this to maintain healthy weight levels.
- Reinforce Speech Production and Development: Baby teeth are the MVPs for proper speech pronunciation and preventing the tongue from straying when speaking.
Given that these teeth form the first step to a perfect smile later, you should help your infant prevent cavities and decay.
Caring for Baby Teeth: Tips and Techniques
Your baby’s first set of teeth will enable them to eat and learn to speak well. Caring for these teeth ensures that their adult teeth will develop healthy and strong. According to the Children Dentist in Richmond, you should practice the following oral care tips and techniques.
1. Brush the Baby Teeth Twice Daily
Immediately, the primary teeth begin to show; take this as the cue to start brushing twice daily. The first brushing should happen at night before bedtime. You’ll need to use a half-pea-sized amount of paste with a small, soft toothbrush.
2. Use a Fluoride-Based Toothpaste
Fluoride helps reduce tooth decay and make teeth stronger. We recommend using:
• A half-pea-sized amount for children between six months and five years old
• A pea-sized amount for kids older than six years
Check the toothpaste before purchase to confirm that it has at least 0.76% sodium monofluorophosphate and 0.221% sodium fluoride.
3. Lift the Lip Each Month
Remember to lift the infant’s top lip at least once a month to inspect the inside of their mouth. It’s a simple and effective technique to check for tooth decay.
4. Choose Healthy Foods and Drinks
Only put milk and water into the sipper cups and baby bottles. Also, refrain from putting the infant to bed with a bottle lodged in their mouth, as this can cause tooth decay.
Common Concerns: Addressing Teething Troubles and More
Our team at the Luna Pediatric Dentistry generally associates teething with jaw and gum discomfort. As the baby’s teeth move to the area below the gum tissue, the affected area may become swollen or slightly reddish.
Other signs to indicate your baby is teething include the following.
- Drooling: Teething stimulates drooling which may cause a rash on the chin. Use a soft cloth to dry the chin every once in a while to prevent the baby from gagging.
- Biting on Toys and Other Objects: During this period, the infant will bite on anything they can get their tiny hands on. The pressure that comes with biting helps to relieve the pressure inside their gums.
- Irritability and Poor Sleep Patterns: Your child may experience pain as the teeth try to push through the gums. This particularly applies to the first pair of teeth, the molars, and canines.
- Swollen, Reddish Gums: Swelling is common as the teeth try to make their way through the gum.
Please note that vomiting, fever, and sore ears aren’t signs of teething.
Transitioning to Permanent Teeth: Preparing for the Next Stage
After the primary teeth, the stages begin to get less eventful, but this doesn’t mean that there aren’t big moments to look forward to. For example, the first molars will erupt between the ages of three and six. And instead of replacing the baby teeth, they’ll grow behind the primary molars at the back of the mouth.
Between the ages of six and nine, the lower central and lateral incisors will become loose and fall out. These will be replaced by permanent incisors. By the age of 12, your child will have a decent mix of primary and permanent teeth. At this point, a second set of permanent molars will develop behind the first set.
As your child approaches 12 to 13 years, they’ll have lost all their primary teeth. In some cases, the last permanent molars will develop around the time the kids are turning 18. Once the wisdom teeth erupt, the child will have erupted all 32 teeth. The wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and will erupt last.
Conclusion: Setting the Foundation for Lifelong Oral Health
Baby teeth play a dynamic role in your child’s growth and development. They assist infants in chewing food and learning to speak coherently. While at it, they also act as placeholders for the permanent teeth, helping guide them to their correct position.
Premature loss of primary teeth due to dental issues such as tooth decay can cause misalignment of the permanent teeth. Such a development may necessitate regular visits to a Children Dentist in Richmond as the years’ progress.
Training your kids on the importance of good oral hygiene from a young age can set the foundation for lifelong oral health. Guiding them on how to floss and brush properly can help prevent dental caries and cavities. This becomes even more effective with regular dental visits.
As a parent, it’s important to note that the health of your child’s baby teeth is crucial for their overall health and development. At Luna Pediatric Dentistry, we provide comprehensive dental care for children and infants, allowing for healthy development.
To learn more about our pediatric dental visits, please visit any of our office locations in Richmond.