The Role of Baby Teeth in Your Child’s Development
Understanding the goes beyond their temporary nature. Despite their short time in your child’s mouth before falling out, these primary teeth play a crucial role in your child’s overall development, impacting their ability to eat, speak, and maintain proper oral hygiene. Our Saginaw, MI, pediatric dentist recognizes that fostering healthy dental habits early on sets the foundation for a strong smile down the road. For that reason, parents should not discount baby teeth.
Here’s how baby teeth influence your child’s growth and why their care is an essential part of their development.
Though They’re Small, Your Child’s Baby Teeth:
1. Hold Space for Future Adult Teeth
Humans develop two sets of teeth: primary (baby) and secondary (adult). The first round of teeth amount to 20 total and are small in size. When a child is about 6 years old, they will begin to lose their in order to make room for 32 permanent teeth waiting underneath the gum line.
Before their adult teeth come in, however, their baby teeth hold space in their jaws. If a tooth is lost prematurely, the open spot left behind can cause oral complications. Surrounding teeth wanting to drift into the area will result in crowding and block other permanent teeth from coming in.
Our pediatric dentist highly suggests that you bring your child in for an infant oral health exam so we can get a good look at how their teeth are coming in and take note of any arising issues. For example, when teeth are lost ahead of schedule, we may recommend using a dental appliance known as a space maintainerto help keep the space open until the adult tooth is ready to erupt.
2. Are Highly Involved in the Speech Process
Think of someone who hasn’t yet put their false teeth in. They’re a little hard to understand, right? This is because teeth help with the formation of words. Your tongue, lips, and teeth all work together to allow for words to be spoken by controlling airflow out of the mouth.
The existence and positioning of a aid in their pronunciation. For example, when their tongue strikes their teeth or the roof of their mouth, they learn to make a certain sound. Over time, they use their baby teeth to speak full sentences and communicate effectively. Without teeth at all, they would not be able to do this.
3. Have an Impact on Overall Body Health
Strong, healthy teeth are crucial when it comes to your child’s ability to chew. When teeth are decayed, proper eating becomes harder and nutritional deficiencies can occur.
Moreover, if an untreated infection arises in one or multiple teeth, it can spread to other areas of the body and possibly be life-threatening. Avoid scary medical complications altogether by encouraging your child to brush their teeth at least twice a day and floss daily. Teeth cleanings every 6 months paired with the application of dental sealants by our pediatric dentist can also help fend off unwanted cavities.
Healthy teeth beget a healthy body so it’s imperative that you help your child form productive oral hygiene habits on their own.
Give Our Office a Call Today
By ensuring proper care of baby teeth with at-home methods and regular dental visits, you can help prevent issues and set the stage for healthy adult teeth. Additionally, our pediatric dentist in Saginaw, MI, is always here to answer questions or take a closer look at your child’s smile if you have a concern. Call Great Lakes Bay Pediatric Dentistry today at (989) 792-9201 to request an appointment!
