Baby Teeth

Not all dental folk wisdom is actually true. I have heard it said that “you don’t have to brush baby teeth”. Is this true? The answer is no. Without proper brushing a child can develop rampant caries (dental decay), with the possibility of gum disease and infection. Developing cavities in baby teeth can cause pain, pulp infection and loss of the tooth. Children with missing teeth have trouble speaking properly, eating properly, and the adult teeth can come in crooked as the missing tooth affects the alignment of the remaining teeth. Deep infections of the tooth can also spread to other parts of the body. The consequences of rampant childhood caries are serious enough that if it is a result of parental neglect there are legal ramifications. Unfortunately, childhood caries is relatively common, present in about 28% of children 2 to 5 years of age, and more so in low socioeconomic households. How to prevent this? Don’t put children to bed with a bottle and begin brushing their teeth as soon as teeth appear and flossing when teeth come in contact with each other. Avoid carbohydrate laden foods, and have your child visit a dentist or pediatric dentist as soon as the first tooth appears and followed regularly thereafter. – ProDentalFx, LLC