Being a parent, you might wonder about your baby’s milk teeth several times. Teething is a natural process that generally occurs in babies between the ages of 6 to 24 months. Though many babies do not feel any discomfort while getting their first set of teeth, it is imperative to take care of them from an early age.

Baby’s milk teeth lay the foundation for their permanent adult teeth. It plays a crucial role in the overall development of the child. These teeth are at higher risk of decay, cavities, being crooked, and other associated problems. Thus, it becomes relevant to provide sufficient dental care to your baby’s milk teeth. Here are some reasons why you should take care of your baby’s milk teeth:

Assist in jaw development

The growth and development of a child’s jaw are critical to their facial looks, personality, and alignment of teeth. Baby’s milk teeth ensure the proper and healthy jaw development in the child. Proper growth of jaws enhances facial expressions and reduces the need of taking an orthodontic treatment for a child. So, to build strong jaws in your baby’s mouth, start taking care of it since the beginning.

Help the child in speaking

Your baby’s teeth, jaws, and mouth contribute essentially to his speech development. Milk teeth help in the formation of words by managing the airflow outside the mouth. A child learns to make certain sounds when the tongue moves strike the teeth in different directions. Since baby teeth help in jaw development, it also determines how quickly and clearly a child will learn to speak.

Align the position of permanent teeth

Baby’s milk teeth hold the position for the permanent teeth in the gums to grow later. It makes sure that the child develops enough space in the gum tissue for future teeth to come. In case a baby tooth will fall out too soon, the tooth next to it will replace the missing tooth. When the permanent teeth start appearing, there won’t be enough space for them to adjust properly in the mouth, thus becoming crooked, misaligned, and crowded.

Enhance a child’s smile

Taking care of your baby’s teeth is important for ensuring a beautiful smile to your baby. The tooth structure assists in giving shape and strength to facial muscles as soon as your baby’s teeth start appearing. Thus, it is significant to take good care of your baby teeth for enhancing his overall appearance and health.

Reduces the chances for cavities

Promoting good oral habits for baby teeth prevent the risk of cavities in them. As baby’ milk teeth are more sensitive to decay because of the weaker enamel, they are more prone to develop cavities. The bacteria present in the mouth convert sugar into acid that damages the tooth surface. So ensuring proper care of baby milk teeth is vital for maintaining his oral health and hygiene.

Help the child to chew

At a smaller age, a child learns different activities and actions pertaining to his mouth. Chewing food is one of the prominent things a child learns with his baby teeth. Whenever we eat, our teeth cut and grind food to make it easy to swallow. The tongue helps in pushing the food to the teeth, allowing us to taste it. Thus, taking sufficient care of baby teeth promote healthy habits in a child like chewing and eating properly.

Boost a child’s self-esteem

Crooked or missing teeth lower a child’s confidence and self-esteem among his friends and fellows. Having dental infections or decaying teeth negatively impacts their self-image and self-acceptance. On the other hand, healthy and white teeth add on to their confidence and they tend to feel good when interacting with other people. A pearly beautiful smile boosts their expression regarding their appearance and makes them comfortable among the crowd.

Prevent pain

No parent wants to see their child in pain. To avoid any discomfort or pain in your child’s teeth or gums, you need to give enough care to them. When you take care of your baby teeth, they would not have to experience any pain due to cavities or tooth decay. It also saves your time for visiting your dentist often to treat oral issues or to take dental treatments.

Teach dental habits to a child

Inculcating healthy dental practices in a child is not just beneficial but also necessary. When you teach them to follow the daily routine of brushing, flossing, and nutritional food, you would not have to fear for any oral diseases or infections. Good habits are easier to form in a child at a tender age. So start giving more care to your baby’s milk teeth to give them healthy teeth and gums in the long run.

How to take care of your baby’s milk teeth?

Now that you have understood the significance of taking care of your baby’s teeth, here is what you should do to keep them clean and healthy:

• Teach them to brush their teeth two times a day for at least 2 minutes.
• Make it a habit for them to floss once a day.
• Give them a nutritious diet and limit their intake of sugar, starch, or carbonated drinks.
• Help your child in using mouthwash to prevent any injuries or infections in the mouth.
• Ensure that they use good toothpaste, preferably one that has fluoride in it.
• Teach your child to not chew a pencil or toothbrush.
• Consult your dentist for more recommendations.
• Do not forget to take your child to a dental clinic for regular check-ups.

Read about effects of diet on oral health

Final words

 It is rightly said that ‘prevention is better than cure’. Thus, it is vital to take care of your child’s teeth from an early age. This will help to prevent serious complications and the risk of injuries or decay in them. Also, as discussed, baby teeth help in promoting healthy adult teeth in children. So taking care of them is not an option.

To learn more about how to care for your baby teeth, do plan a visit to your dentist for obtaining required guidelines and preventive measures.