Learn why baby teeth are so important for children. Find out how baby teeth help to guide jaw development, promote clear speech and improve nutrition whilst also looking after adult teeth.

Often parents do not spend much time looking after primary teeth. This is because when a child loses their baby teeth they will eventually gain adult teeth. This makes many people believe that having cavities in their primary teeth will not cause any serious issues. However this isn’t the case.

Baby teeth are very important for your growing child. They help with facial development, speech development, improving nutrition and helping to boost confidence. This blog will explain why looking after baby teeth is just as important as looking after your adult teeth.

1. Baby Teeth Hold Space For Adult Teeth

The main role of baby teeth is to hold space in the jawbone for adult teeth to come through. Each baby tooth will act as a ‘space holder’.

  • Easier Eruption Of Adult Teeth – Baby teeth are positioned above the adult teeth which are growing. This means when the adult teeth erupt they will follow the natural path created by the baby tooth roots.

  • Prevent Teeth From Shifting – If a child loses a baby tooth early on due to severe decay or damage, the neighboring teeth will shift. This will cause the space for adult teeth to be lost.

  • Reduce Orthodontic Costs – Looking after your child’s primary teeth will help keep their natural arches straight. This will reduce the need for complicated orthodontics later on.

2. Encourage Proper Chewing And Help With Nutrition

Children need to have a healthy varied diet to help them grow strong. This includes eating fresh fruits, raw vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. Having healthy primary teeth will help children to chew their food properly without causing them any pain.

  • Helps With Chewing – Teeth will help to break down tough fibrous foods. This will make digesting easier for your child.

  • Avoid Picky Eating – If children have decayed and painful baby teeth they will often avoid eating tough and crunchy foods. This means they will only eat soft foods which will cause them to have poor nutrition and lack vitamins.

  • Avoid Stomach Problems – Large chunks of food will cause stomach aches, indigestion and acid re-flux in young children. Healthy primary teeth will prevent this issue.

3. Help With Clear Speech

The mouth is the main part of the body used for speaking. Teeth will work with the tongue, lips and palette to help your child speak clearly.

  • Important For Speech – Children will use their front top and bottom teeth to help them speak certain sounds clearly. Without front baby teeth they will struggle to speak and will have a lisp.

  • Improves Confidence – Children will feel confident to express their emotions, ask questions in school and build good relationships with their peers.

  • Avoid Speech Therapy – By keeping your child’s primary teeth until they fall out naturally they will build up good muscle memory in their lips and tongue. This will mean they won’t need speech therapy.

4. Guide Jawbone And Facial Muscles

The jawbone needs stimulation to help it grow correctly. The force from chewing will transfer energy through the teeth to stimulate the jawbone.

  • Helps Build Bone Density – Every time your child bites down onto their healthy baby teeth it will stimulate their jawbone. This will encourage the jawbone to grow wider to fit the larger adult teeth.

  • Helps Build Symmetrical Face – Teeth provide structure for the cheeks and lips. If a child loses their baby teeth early on their cheeks will sag.

  • Builds Muscle Memory – Healthy chewing habits will help build muscle in the facial muscles used for chewing, swallowing and natural facial expressions.

5. Severe Pain And Infections If Left Untreated

Baby teeth have a much thinner layer of enamel than adult teeth. This means that the plaque from bacteria will eat through the baby teeth quickly. This will cause painful infections.

  • Quick Cavity Development – Bacteria will cause the thin enamel to dissolve quickly. This will cause a cavity to form quickly.

  • Dangerous Infections – Bacteria can cause serious infections in the baby tooth. This will cause painful swelling in the gums, pus and high temperatures.

  • Damage To Adult Teeth – If there is a deep infection at the tip of the baby tooth it can cause damage to the permanent tooth crown below. This is because the infection will travel down through the bone. The pus from the bacteria will cause damage to the crown.

6. Boost Confidence

Your child’s smile is an important part of how they feel about themselves. Healthy teeth will help boost confidence.

  • Confident Smile – Children with healthy shiny teeth will smile confidently and will not feel shy about having dark spots, cavities or missing front teeth.

  • Avoid Being Bullied – Unfortunately some children can be nasty to those with broken, stained or severely decayed front teeth. Keeping your child’s teeth healthy will avoid them feeling anxious.

  • Help Concentrate In School – Children who suffer from constant toothache will struggle to concentrate in class, complete homework or get a good night’s sleep. Removing any pain will help them to concentrate and be happy in school.

7. Teach Good Oral Hygiene Habits

Teaching your child to look after their primary teeth will teach them that oral hygiene is an important part of everyday life. Parents can create good habits which will stay with them as they grow up.

  • Brush Twice A Day – Teaching your toddler to brush their teeth twice a day will create lifelong habits.

  • Build Trust – Taking your young child to the dentist regularly will build trust. This will make them feel comfortable and they will no longer fear going to the dentist.

  • Build Responsibility – As your child gets older they will take responsibility for brushing and flossing their teeth.

Top Tips For Looking After Baby Teeth

  • Wipe your baby’s gums with a soft damp cloth after feeds.

  • Once the first baby tooth appears start brushing with a little bit of fluoridated toothpaste (rice sized).

  • Brush your child’s teeth twice a day (morning and before bed). Brush for 2 minutes.

  • At 3 years old increase the amount of toothpaste (pea sized).

  • Floss between your child’s teeth daily once they have 2 touching teeth.

  • Book your child’s first check up by their 1st birthday or 6 months after their first tooth appears.

  • Never leave your child to go to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice or sugary drinks. This will cause rapid baby bottle tooth decay as the sugars will stay on their teeth.

  • Provide your child with fresh water throughout the day to help wash away any food and stimulate saliva.

  • Avoid giving your child sticky sweets, chewy sweets, fruit juices and sugary refined foods. These will feed the harmful bacteria in their mouths.

  • Supervise/ help your child brush their teeth until they are at least 8 years old.

F.A.Q

Why would a dentist want to fix cavities in baby teeth?

A dentist will want to fix cavities in baby teeth as they can cause severe pain, dangerous infections and cause them to fall out early. The cavity will cause bacteria to move to neighboring teeth and damage the permanent adult tooth below. Keeping your child’s primary teeth healthy will ensure they hold space for the adult teeth.

When do children normally start losing their baby teeth?

Most children will start losing their primary teeth at around 6 years old. They will usually lose their front bottom teeth (central incisors) first and then their front top teeth shortly after. Children will gradually lose their primary teeth until they are around 12/13 years old when they will lose their last primary molar.

What should I do if my child loses a baby tooth early?

If your child loses a primary tooth early contact your pediatric dentist. They may insert a small device known as a space maintainer. This will stop neighboring teeth from shifting. The device is made from metal/plastic.

What causes baby bottle tooth decay and how can I avoid this?

Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by leaving sugary drinks (natural or added) on your child’s teeth for long periods of time. This often occurs when putting your infant to bed with a bottle. This can easily be avoided by only putting water in their bedtime bottle. Wipe their gums and teeth after every feed.

Baby teeth are extremely valuable. They hold space for adult teeth, help with clear speech, improve nutrition, guide facial development and boost confidence. By encouraging good brushing habits, providing a balanced diet, avoiding sugary foods and regular check ups you can ensure your child’s primary teeth stay healthy. This will set them up for a lifetime of healthy, sparkling smiles. Book a preventative check up with your pediatric dentist today!