The Importance of Baby Teeth: Why They’re Crucial to Lifelong Dental Health

Keeping your child’s baby teeth healthy matters more than you might think. It’s a fairly common misconception that these teeth aren’t important. Parents assume that because they’ll fall out, they don’t play a big role in their child’s overall oral health.

Actually, though, Irene Zaki, DDS, and other dental experts recommend being just as diligent with a child’s baby teeth as with their permanent teeth. These teeth serve as the foundation for their lifelong dental wellness in a few key ways. 

Between good oral hygiene habits at home and regular pediatric dental care here at Happy Teeth Children’s Dentistry, you can protect your child’s baby teeth. Visit us at least every six months in Riverside, California, and our team can help. 

Here are a few reasons why caring for your child’s baby teeth is so important:

#1: Better alignment for their permanent teeth

The American Dental Association (ADA) calls baby teeth nature’s braces. Once those teeth erupt, they hold space for the permanent teeth that will follow.

If decay damages a baby tooth to the point that it needs to be removed, that structure goes out the window. Your child’s other baby teeth may shift to fill in the new gap in their smile. That can cause alignment problems that you’ll need to fix later with orthodontic treatment. 

#2: No scary dental appointments

Many children feel nervous at the dentist. Helping your child avoid treatment that might scare them can help lower their anxiety. 

Keeping their baby teeth healthy means your family can avoid the potentially traumatic experience of tooth extraction. While Dr. Zaki and our team do everything we can to make it comfortable — including offering child-safe sedation — any adult who’s had a tooth pulled knows it’s not the most pleasant way to spend your time. 

With good at-home habits and regular trips to see us, you go a long way toward helping your child avoid needing a tooth extraction. 

#3: Training for lifelong oral health 

Think of your child’s baby teeth as your family’s low-stakes training ground. You get these starter teeth to learn oral health habits that work for your family. By the time those teeth fall out, and your child’s permanent ones grow in, your child can be consistently brushing and flossing. 

If you encounter any decay, Dr. Zaki offers fillings. Learning the consequences of poor oral health habits often motivates kids to take better care of their teeth. If they get a filling in a baby tooth, that filling falls out with the tooth, and they can start fresh with the permanent tooth that grows in.

We’re here to help you take care of your child’s baby teeth. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Zaki and our team, call Happy Teeth Children’s Dentistry or schedule online today.