Baby teeth (also known as deciduous teeth) do eventually fall out, but they play a key role in tooth/mouth development. Let’s take a look at what healthy deciduous teeth do for you!
Baby Teeth / Deciduous Tooth – A Primer
Before they fall out, healthy deciduous teeth have a serious role in your tooth development. Baby teeth are important for:
Making your smile straight!
Deciduous teeth should remain in your mouth until they are ready to naturally exfoliate (doctor talk for fall out). One of the main reasons these teeth are important is that they help maintain space and guide the adult teeth into the correct position. If you lose teeth early because of decay or toothache, this can result in the crowding of adult teeth.
Ensure you practise good oral hygiene
Having a cavity in your tooth is always a bad sign. This is even worse if the cavity is in baby teeth as they are naturally less resistant to decay than adult teeth. If they fall out early this can cause issues as discussed above.
Keep an eye on your diet
Healthy deciduous teeth allows for good chewing habits so your children are able to eat with no problems.
Predicting when a deciduous tooth will exfoliate is quite difficult. When a baby tooth falls out too early or hangs around for too long it can be concerning. As a general rule you can expect the front teeth to erupt in the first year and shed between 6-7 years. Lastly the second molar on the top and bottom will erupt after around 2 years and should shed between the ages of 10-12.
For more detailed information on please click here to view the baby teeth eruption charts on the MouthHealthy website.
Please note these figures are merely a guide and there exists a fair amount of variation for when a tooth will exfoliate in a child. The order in which they come out is actually more important than when, as incorrect order can sometimes mean that an adult tooth is missing.
Any questions about baby teeth, or anything we can help with? Book an appointment with one of our fantastic dentists today by clicking here or give us a call on 07 5427 0880 and we’d be happy to assist you and your child/ren!