Baby Teeth Are Temporary but Very Important

Baby teeth are temporary but very important

Baby teeth are the teeth that come in while a child is still breastfeeding (under 30 months). They are also called temporary teeth, because they stay for only a few years before being replaced by permanent teeth. Even so, they play a very important role in digestion and in the development of the jaw and face.

The lower central incisor is a baby's very first tooth and comes in at 6 to 8 months of age. A full set of baby teeth is 20 teeth (10 upper and 10 lower), complete by 24 to 30 months. Each jaw has 2 central incisors, 2 lateral incisors, 2 canines, 2 first molars and 2 second molars.

Teeth coming in a few months early or late is normal, or it may be due to factors that are not a disease, such as the baby being premature or frail, the baby's diet not being quite right, or the mother following an overly restrictive diet…

The main job of baby teeth is to help digest food, because after 6 months of age children start eating solid foods that are harder and more difficult to digest. Normally a baby tooth comes in and stays in the dental arch; after a few years its root gradually dissolves to make way for the permanent tooth bud that is about to come through in exactly that spot. If a baby tooth is damaged early and has to be pulled before its time, the permanent tooth bud underneath has not grown enough yet to come in right away. The extraction site closes over and hardens, so when the permanent tooth does come through, it has trouble: it comes in late and sometimes crooked.

Baby teeth also help the jawbone develop. Thanks to them, a child can chew and bite food, and this movement helps the jaw develop normally. Baby teeth also help children speak; if baby teeth are damaged early and have to be pulled, the child may develop a speech problem such as a lisp.

Because baby teeth matter so much, parents really need to take care of them. If your baby has no teeth yet or has just started teething and cannot spit yet, use a mouth rinse after meals, then at least once a day wrap a piece of gauze around your finger, dip it in clean water and wipe your baby's teeth and gums clean, inside and out.

Once your child can spit and no longer swallows toothpaste, start having them brush their teeth, usually at around 3 years old. What kind of toothbrush is right for your child? Choose one with soft bristles and a shape and size that suit your child's mouth at that age. Children's toothpaste should not be spicy, should be slightly sweet with a pleasant flavor, and should contain ingredients that prevent oral disease and cleaning agents that keep teeth white. Use only a small amount, about the size of a black bean.

How to brush properly: for the outer surfaces, tilt the brush so the bristles press gently against the gums and teeth, then vibrate it gently so the bristles get in between the teeth, and move the brush up and down to cover the whole outer surface of the teeth. For the inner surfaces, do the same as for the outer surfaces, but hold the brush upright and also move it up and down to cover all the inner surfaces. For the chewing surfaces, hold the bristles straight down on the chewing surface and brush back and forth in short strokes.

Once the teeth have formed, parents should make sure their child eats foods rich in fluoride, such as fish (especially saltwater fish), eggs, fresh milk and liver…
Even when you give your baby formula at night, rinse their mouth with clean water afterward, or all of their teeth may decay. Don't let young children suck their thumbs or use a pacifier, as this will cause buck teeth later on.