Many parents at one time or another have asked me if they should have their child’s teeth fixed, and my quick answer is YES! "Baby teeth" exist for a reason; they are present so your child can eat, smile, and provide a pathway for your child's permanent teeth. The healthier your child's primary (baby) teeth, the healthier their permanent teeth will be. Most babies will start to get teeth around the age of 6 months and continue until they have a full set of twenty primary teeth around the age of 2. Many parents don't understand the importance of bringing their children to the dentist at a young age when their teeth will just "fall out anyway." The truth of the matter is that children will lose their top four and bottom four teeth around the age of 7, but the back twelve teeth will not come out until around the age of 10. This is why it’s important to not let your child take a bottle to bed or feed your child and then let them go to sleep without brushing their teeth. This will cause early decay that will need to be addressed by a dentist.
It is imperative to keep your child's teeth healthy and cavity free by seeing the dentist every 6 months for a cleaning and exam. Children should be seen as soon as they get their first primary tooth or by 1 year old. If your child should have cavities, then your dentist will explain the options of fillings, stainless steel crowns or extractions. Sometimes a child’s tooth decay has gone so far that the tooth needs to be taken out (extracted). This, while necessary for your child's teeth, brings its own consequences. Early loss of primary teeth can cause problems with the eruption of your child's permanent teeth, chewing and speech. A space maintainer may be necessary to save this precious space for the awaiting permanent tooth. In some cases a child with an infection or multiple cavities may need to be seen in a hospital operating room in order to fix their teeth. This is what we try to avoid with early oral hygiene instruction and guidance from the dentist office.
Good oral hygiene will help prevent cavities, but nothing will make them go away except for treatment by a dental professional. Cavities in primary teeth develop and spread quicker than in permanent teeth. The dentist will want to take care of this dental disease before it causes pain, needs a larger filling or an extraction. It’s important to start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they get their first tooth. Continue helping them brush as they grow, introducing flossing when the spaces between their teeth have closed. Many children will want to brush their own teeth and fight their parents. Young children do not have the dexterity to keep their teeth clean. Please do not let them brush by themselves, it is very important that you control this habit. It is true that the primary teeth are going to "fall out", but not for many years. Good hygiene habits that you establish when they are children will last a lifetime.
Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS is a pediatric dentist at Drs. Null, Seidel and Dental Associates and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Above article – By Stephanie DeFilippo, DDS
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