It is true that children lose their “baby” teeth, and develop a whole new smile as they age. However, just because primary teeth are temporary, that doesn’t mean that they are unimportant. It is crucial that your child cares for his or her primary teeth effectively in order to maintain optimal oral health.
Our Saint Louis dentists encourage all parents and caregivers to prioritize the importance of proper oral hygiene, so that their children can develop strong dental habits!
Your child’s oral health is about more than the status of his or her teeth. Your child’s gums, connective tissues, and jawbones also need to be healthy and strong. The truth is that infections that begin in a child’s teeth can move into his or her soft and bone tissues, and cause lasting damage. Help your child keep his or her mouth clean so that they don’t suffer from unwanted long-term oral health effects.
It’s also important that your child retain his or her primary teeth for as long as his or her body needs them. Primary teeth allow children to develop healthy speech patterns and eating habits. Baby teeth also serve as placeholders along a child’s gum line, so that adult teeth are able to easily emerge when the time comes. Primary teeth may be temporary, but they serve a crucial purpose for the time that they are in your child’s mouth.
Finally, you want to help your child develop good oral hygiene habits before he or she develops his or her permanent teeth. When you emphasize proper brushing and flossing early in a child’s life, he or she is much more likely to keep up with proper dental care into adulthood.
If you have any more questions about how to care for primary teeth, or what kinds of dental skills you should be teaching your child, please feel free to call our Saint Louis dentists to get more information. We are here to help the whole family!