DDS 4 Kids

The primary teeth (commonly called baby teeth) serve the same purposes for your child that the permanent teeth serve for you: chewing and appearance. There are 20 primary teeth, some of which may stay in the mouth until your child is approximately 15 years old.

These teeth are smaller in size and fewer in number than the permanent teeth because your child's jaws and mouth are smaller now than they will be when his permanent teeth are all in place. In order to assure normal growth and development at every age, it is important for him to be able to chew nutritious foods thoroughly, free of pain and infection. Pain and infection can be caused by neglected primary teeth.

Milk is your baby's most important food, but when he goes to sleep with the nipple in his mouth, the milk collects and stays on the upper front teeth. The natural sugar in breast and cow's milk is quickly converted to acid, and destruction of the teeth begins. Because this form of decay in the early stages occurs on the backs of the upper front teeth, it is not easily seen.

If bottle feeding is used beyond the time needed to feed the baby and only to quiet or comfort him, the only liquid that should be used is water. Any sweet drinks - soft drinks, fruit juices, breast milk, infant formulas and sugar water can be destructive to the teeth.

When your infant begins drinking from a cup and eating solid foods, care should be taken to select foods that will provide him with a sound diet and proper nutrition. The eating habits he establishes now will greatly affect his dental and general health for the remainder of his life. Follow your dentist's advice with regard to measures that can prevent dental disease: proper diet and oral hygiene, use of fluorides and regular visits to the dentist to stop any problem at an early stage.

The most common form of dental infection in a child is a cavity in a primary tooth. When an infected tooth is neglected, it becomes painful. The nerve (dental pulp) becomes inflamed, dies, and an abscess is formed, usually resulting in loss of the tooth.

The abscess can severely damage the succeeding permanent tooth. In addition to these damaging conditions, whenever a cavity in a primary tooth is neglected, the child's bite can be affected. Because the shape of a tooth is changed by decay, the teeth next to the decayed tooth and the teeth in the opposite jaw shift.

This shift causes the child's bite to change and hampers his ability to chew. Several decayed primary teeth can lead to severe changes in the shape of the mouth and the appearance of the face.

The untimely loss of a primary tooth due to injury or decay can affect the child's bite. The primary teeth are necessary for proper chewing of food and act as guides for proper positioning of the permanent teeth. Each primary tooth also reserves a space for the permanent tooth that will replace it. If the primary tooth is lost too early, the permanent tooth may be prevented from emerging into its proper position.

Thumbsucking and other oral habits such as lip, tongue and cheek biting begin during very early childhood. If allowed to persist, they can be very damaging to the child's bite and lip and facial development. Your dentist should be consulted for advice on how to end the habit or reduce its effects.

Children during this age period are very prone to accidents, many of which involve the teeth, mouth and face. Keep the child's environment free of items that may cause him to fall or allow him to climb to dangerous positions. If injuries occur, call your dentist at once, and follow the advice carefully.