Some parents ask us why it matters to take care of baby teeth. They just fall out, so why bother? There are numerous reasons, the most important being that tooth decay causes pain. Decay that is left untreated becomes cavities and can become infected, leading to further problems. Finally, decay in baby teeth can affect the health of adult teeth.
Decay can start as soon as teeth appear in your child’s mouth. It happens when baby teeth are in contact for long periods of time with liquids or foods that have sugar in them. Juice (even 100% fruit juice), soda, milk, breast milk and formula all contain sugar.
Tooth decay can happen when you put your baby to bed with a bottle, allow them to drink from a bottle or training cup all day, or use bottles to soothe them if they are fussy. By age six months, your baby may be given a bottle of water at these times.
Your child may have trouble eating and speaking normally if they have tooth pain, so it is important to take good care of baby teeth even though they will fall out later.
Schedule your child's first dental visit as soon as their first tooth erupts. It may seem early, but it's a perfect beginning to good dental health for a lifetime.
Brought to you by:
treehousekidsdental.com
1611 J street Springfield, OR
541-515-6631
office@treehousekidsdental.com
Dr. Erin Estep is a board-certified pediatric dentist who owns Treehouse Kids Dentist in Springfield. She and her staff are committed to making sure your child has an amazing, safe, memorable dental experience.
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