By Jessica Dean, DDS
It may be common knowledge that we get two sets of teeth: primary teeth, also known as baby teeth, and then our permanent teeth. However, the importance of keeping baby teeth healthy may not be so well known. The health of these teeth can affect the child’s ability to talk, chew, and smile, and the future health of the adult teeth. As soon as these teeth come in, they can get decay. Starting good oral hygiene habits from the start is important to avoid getting cavities. If these teeth do happen to get cavities, it is important to get them fixed quickly — for a number of reasons:
- Baby teeth serve as guides for adult teeth to come in straight. If they are lost too early, teeth can come in crooked if a space maintainer is not used.
- If a baby tooth gets an abscess, the infection can disfigure the permanent tooth, turning it brown or patchy in color, leading to possible future dental work to correct its appearance.
- Baby teeth have less hard enamel, so decay can spread faster, leading to a toothache and possible tooth loss.
- At times, there is no adult tooth to replace the primary tooth, so the baby tooth is all you ever have.
- Decay on a baby tooth can spread to neighboring permanent teeth.
Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. Proper daily habits include:
- Brush and floss your child’s teeth twice daily for them until they are six years old. As the child’s fine motor skills develop, they will be able to clean their smile by themselves. Around age six, start to monitor your child’s brushing, and help guide them to properly reaching each surface, gums, and tongue. Most children are able to brush and floss unsupervised by age 10.
- Avoid sugary beverages throughout the day. If the child must sip something in between meals, stick to water. The sugar in juice, milk, and soda is converted to acid by bacteria in the mouth. This acid softens the teeth, creating the cavities. Also, never put a baby to bed with a bottle.
- Use ADA approved fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse. Not all toothpastes are made equal. The ADA stamp of approval helps dentists recommend toothpastes that actually do what they say they do. Fluoride is okay to use once the child is able to spit with supervision, around two years old. Fluoride mouth rinse is most effective when the child rinses and spits, and then waits a half hour before eating or drinking anything. Waiting a half hour gives the fluoride time to soak into the teeth and strengthen them, reverse decay, and decrease sensitivity.
- Floss, Floss, Floss! Parents can start using floss on their child’s teeth as soon as there are two teeth touching. There are tools to help do this, so you don’t have to fit your fingers into your child’s little mouth. Flossers are floss attached to a stick, and are available where most toothpaste is sold.
For further information regarding dental procedures, visit us at www.associatesindentistry.com or “like us” on Facebook. With locations in Canton, Elmwood, Washington, Peoria, and Bartonville, Associates in Dentistry is ready to serve you and your family. Convenient weekend and evening appointments are available.
Photo credits: Hogie/iStock, PeopleImages /iStock