While it is true that baby teeth fall out, this doesn’t mean that they don’t need to be taken care of. The proper care of baby teeth can positively impact the development of adult teeth. If your child is old enough to have his/her first tooth, he/she is old enough to have a cavity, which is why regular visits to the dentist should be started early.
There is no age minimum on cavities. Everyone, no matter how young, eats and drinks items that contain sugar. Before you say, “I don’t give my kids candy and they never drink soda”, remember that everything contains some form of sugar. That apple a day that is supposed to keep the doctor away contains natural sugars, so the adage doesn’t hold up when it comes to the dentist. Every time your child eats or drinks, acid builds up in his/her mouth. This acid can attack his/her teeth for 20 minutes or more and cause teeth to decay.
Tooth decay is worrisome in all teeth, including baby teeth, because it can result in severe pain, infection, and cause your child to have trouble eating. If the teeth become infected and this infection is not caught in time, it can destroy baby teeth and possibly affect the development of adult teeth as well as negatively impact your child’s general well-being.
Baby teeth need to be protected for several reasons. For instance, the development of baby teeth impacts how well adult teeth develop in the future. Cavities and infections can cause a baby tooth to be lost early, which can create a problem down the road when adult teeth come in. They might not have enough room, so they become crowded and crooked. Another reason is that children with cavities in their baby teeth are more likely to have cavities in their adult teeth. In addition, decaying teeth can affect the way your child feels about going to the dentist.
If your child is having trouble eating or has pain in his/her mouth, make an appointment to see Dr. Makrauer or Dr. Miller at Huntingdon Valley Dental Arts. We’ll be able to take a look and catch any tooth decay before it gets worse.