{"id":381,"date":"2019-09-20T17:49:16","date_gmt":"2019-09-20T17:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drkingscott.com\/blog\/?p=381"},"modified":"2019-10-04T17:49:31","modified_gmt":"2019-10-04T17:49:31","slug":"family-dentist-baby-teeth-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drkingscott.com\/blog\/family-dentist-baby-teeth-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Their First Smile: The Importance of Baby Teeth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Baby<\/a>First-time parents might not realize how important their child\u2019s first teeth are. After all, aren\u2019t baby teeth supposed to fall out? But the truth is that these temporary pearly whites are just as important to your little one\u2019s oral health as the permanent ones they\u2019ll get later. Here\u2019s why your child needs to start seeing the family dentist as soon as the first tooth appears.<\/p>\n

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What are Baby Teeth?<\/h2>\n

Baby teeth are also called primary teeth, and they\u2019re already in your child\u2019s jaws when they\u2019re born. They\u2019ll usually start erupting at 6 months old, and all 20 should have appeared by the age of 3. Most of the time the front teeth come in first, although every child is different.<\/p>\n

The permanent teeth continue to develop under the baby teeth. Once they\u2019re ready to erupt, the primary teeth will start to fall out. This usually happens between the ages of 6 and 13.<\/p>\n

Why are Baby Teeth So Important?<\/h2>\n

In the long run, teeth that are meant to be lost eventually might not seem important. However, without them your child wouldn\u2019t be able to speak or chew while waiting for their permanent teeth. Furthermore, baby teeth help make sure that the permanent ones come in correctly; if they\u2019re lost too early, your child might have a crooked or crowded smile, which can lead to a lot of pain and usually requires orthodontic treatment to correct. If you want your child to grow up with a healthy, beautiful set of ivories, you\u2019ll need to start by making sure their baby teeth are well-cared for.<\/p>\n

How Can You Take Care of Baby Teeth?<\/h2>\n

The first step is to start bringing your little one to your family dentist as soon as the first tooth shows up (or before their first birthday at the latest). The dentist can show you how to clean your little one\u2019s pearly whites properly and show methods for stopping habits like thumb sucking.<\/p>\n

Of course, you also need to make sure you\u2019re taking care of your child\u2019s baby teeth at home by following these steps:<\/p>\n