Baby Teeth: 4 Reasons They Deserve Good Care
Baby teeth are the first feeding accessories that your child will develop after birth. They go by a variety of names, including deciduous, milk and primary teeth. Baby teeth grow and emerge in a particular order. The first ones in line are the lower central incisors, which emerge as a pair on the front lower gum line. These two are followed their opposite counterparts on the upper jaw. The upper lateral incisors then follow, and they are succeeded by their lower counterparts a few months later. The process continues until the child develops that the first lower and upper molars fourteen to eighteen months after birth. Here are the top reasons you care for your child's baby teeth:
Create Way for Permanent Teeth
Eventually, most, if not, all baby teeth will be shed off as the child grows up. They are then replaced by permanent teeth that will stay in the child's mouth until they grow old. Baby teeth thus prepare a way for the permanent teeth that will grow in the future. If you do not take care of them, the baby teeth might leave disease-causing microorganisms in the gums. These organisms then affect the growth of the permanent teeth. Your child might have to lose his or her permanent teeth due to decay, disease or abnormal growth.
Affect the Appearance of the Face
Baby teeth play an important part in the normal appearance of the child's face. Proper development of baby teeth helps in the alignment of the gums and jawlines. If baby teeth do not grow well, your child's facial orientation may be affected particularly along the jaw lines and at the front section of the mouth. Dental overbites and underbites, which disfigure the front part of the face, also occur when you do not monitor and care for your baby teeth. Always be on the lookout for underdeveloped teeth and multiple teeth growing in the same socket. You should point such abnormalities to the dentist immediately.
Affect the Child's Nutrition
As mentioned earlier, baby teeth are an important feeding accessory for any child. They mark the transition in the child's diet, as they can start to eat soft solid foods rich in carbohydrates. If the child's baby teeth are missing, decayed or out of shape, then he or she will not be able to feed well. Bad baby teeth are a notorious cause of children turning down food, leading to bad nutrition.
Contact a dentist that specialises in children's dentistry for more information and assistance.
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