As a parent or caregiver, you’re concerned about your child’s teeth. You take them to the dentist and help with their toothbrushing and oral upkeep. What you may not know is that preserving baby teeth until they’re ready to come out on their own is a vital part of dental health.
As a pediatric dentist in Phoenix, AZ, I provide preventive dental care for little smiles, and one of my goals is to preserve baby teeth. However, sometimes decay, infection, or injury means premature tooth loss.
In this blog, I explain why baby teeth matter, what happens when they are lost too early, and how I can help preserve your child's oral health when they lose a tooth.
Why Baby Teeth Matter
Baby teeth help your child with the following:
- Speech Development
- Chewing and Digestion
- Bite Alignment
- Proper Adult Tooth Eruption
When a baby tooth is lost early, neighboring teeth begin to shift on the gum and move into the smile gap. This means adult teeth will not come in correctly.
How I Can Help When Baby Teeth Are Lost Early
I can provide specific treatments to help prevent tooth shifting and migration when a baby tooth is lost early. For example, I can place a space maintainer to preserve the empty socket and hold the space for the proper eruption of the adult tooth.
If shifting has already occurred, we can discuss early or receptive orthodontics to help. I’ll discuss these potential treatments with you and explain how they can benefit your child.
Tips to Preserve Baby Teeth
- Bring your child to the dentist every six months for checkups.
- Assist your little one with toothbrushing.
- Talk to the dentist about a mouthguard if your child plays sports.
- Talk to the dentist about a nightguard if your child grinds their teeth (bruxism).
Consider Pediatric Dentistry in Phoenix, AZ
To learn more or to schedule an evaluation for your child, call my dental office today at (602) 788-4873.