Family Dentist Indianapolis Shares The Importance of the Baby Teeth
Baby teeth are often seen as cute and mark a stage in a child’s life, but rarely are the developmental purposes behind them considered. Because of this, many parents fail to care for the baby teeth properly because they figure the teeth are just going to fall out anyway.
What’s So Important?
Baby teeth perform critical functions. Here are just a few:
• Chew food so it’s digested properly
• Exercises the jaw muscle with chewing
• Keeps the spacing for permanent teeth to arrive
When teeth are missing or hurting, these processes become impaired. When the muscles aren’t exercised, they don’t develop properly, which is dangerous for children.
In addition, baby teeth play a large role in speech. When children don’t speak properly, it affects their success at school and their social interactions.
Early Childhood Care
Cavities in children are becoming an epidemic. It’s mainly due to the amount of sugar that children consume, but also a result of poor dental hygiene. It’s estimated that 40% of children at the age of five now have cavities. If this is left untreated, you face more expensive treatments, pain and disruption of normal growth.
Here are some ways to prevent cavities in children:
• Make sure they brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. This needs to be done for two minutes each time.
• Teach them to floss once daily.
• Give them a well-balanced diet with low sugar intake.
• Avoid sodas, juices and sports drinks. Offer water instead.
• Take them to their scheduled dental checkups.
• Consider the use of dental sealants to protect the molars.
• Don’t allow children to sleep with a bottle
If you are concerned about your child’s dental health, it’s time to speak with your family dentist in Indianapolis. Together, you can protect the baby teeth to ensure that your child talks, eats and develops naturally.
