When a child’s first tooth erupts (usually around six months of age), it’s a huge milestone for baby and parent alike. A first tooth is often seen as a rite of passage and is celebrated in many cultures across the world. With this exciting development comes a new responsibility – looking after your baby’s teeth. Dr Chelsea Cahi walks us through the basics of baby teeth and dentistry for littles.
Baby teeth, also known as primary or deciduous teeth, are often viewed as inconsequential, but they play a huge role in the development of your child’s oral health. As dentists, the biggest mistake we see parents and caregivers make is believing that baby teeth are just “temporary”. We constantly hear things like: “They’re just baby teeth, so why do we need to brush or look after them? They all going to fall out anyway.”
This lack of education and dental knowledge is the main reason for dental disease and poor oral health in children.
Why are baby teeth so important?
By the age of two, your child should have a full set of all 20 primary teeth. Here are three reasons as to why your child’s deciduous teeth are so important:
- Placeholder teeth: These teeth act as necessary placeholders for adult teeth to emerge correctly. A complete set of primary teeth allows for proper alignment and spacing, ensuring that permanent teeth come in straight and well-positioned. When a child loses a tooth prematurely due to dental neglect, decay or injury, nearby teeth may shift into the gap, potentially leading to misalignment and the need for early orthodontic treatment.
- Chewing and digestion: Baby teeth are vital for chewing and digestion, especially as children transition from liquids to solids. The ability to properly grind and break down food allows for proper digestion and sufficient nutrient absorption.
- Speech development: Baby teeth play a pivotal role in speech development. When learning to speak and make sounds, we heavily rely on our tongue, teeth, and lips all working together in harmony. When baby teeth are lost prematurely or become damaged, speech development can be affected, potentially leading to speech impediments that may persist into adulthood. This may also result in low self-esteem and confidence.
When should you start with dentistry for littles?
Regular dental visits from a young age are essential to ensure healthy, happy, and disease-free smiles. According to the South African Dental Association (SADA), children should start visiting the dentist by the age of two. Although this may seem very young, here are some reasons why:
- Oral health education: Early dental visits can often help prevent dental problems before they even begin. By visiting a dentist early on, parents can learn the correct way of looking after their child’s teeth and gums. Topics such as teething, pacifiers, finger/thumb sucking can be discussed, alongside unhealthy eating habits. This will allow your dental professional to suggest certain changes and will also provide a baseline going forward.
- Building trust: Building up trust, especially with kids, takes time. That’s why we encourage parents to start bringing their children early and not to wait until they are in pain or distress. If a child only ever visits a dentist when they are in discomfort, they will start associating dental procedures with pain. This unnecessary fear often develops into an adulthood dental phobia, which may lead to other complications. Many children are afraid of the dentist because parents are reactive. By starting dental visits early, parents can help their children become familiar with the dentist’s office and dental procedures. A proactive approach to your child’s dental care will help reduce anxiety and make dental visits more comfortable for everyone.
- Taking responsibility: Empower your child to take responsibility for their dental care. Promoting good oral hygiene habits (brushing and flossing) from a young age sets up your child for a lifetime of pain-free dentistry.
Prevention is always better than cure
Oral diseases in children are still a major public health problem that can negatively impact parents and their child’s quality of life. Although diseases such as dental decay are largely preventable, initial signs can often be detected during the first year of life, and the severity may increase over time if no preventative measures are taken.
A healthy mouth equals a healthy body, and a healthy childhood provides the foundation for opportunities later in life. As dental professionals, it is our responsibility to identify unhealthy habits in children and educate the parents and family members to change them.
Addressing dental problems
If all educational and preventive strategies fail or are not put into place, your child may develop dental problems – such as dental caries (tooth decay), erosive tooth wear, hypomineralisation, and malocclusion – which could have a great impact on other stages of life.
Today’s paediatric dentistry offers many alternatives to prevent and treat these oral health problems. However, if prevention fails, dental procedures such as fissure sealants, dental restorations, extractions, and even root canal therapy may need to be done depending on the extent of dental destruction. It is important to note that minimally invasive procedures are always tried first before any major dental treatment.
Fortunately, as dentistry is an ever-evolving field, new dental materials and technologies are constantly being developed, meaning the arsenal of tools available to enhance children’s oral health is always growing. But even with all the latest techniques and gadgets in the world, the best approach is to be proactive and start your child’s dental journey at an early age.
Reference:
- Rodrigues JA, Olegario I, Assunção CM, et al.‘Future Perspectives in Pediatric Dentistry: Where are We Now and where are We Heading?’ Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(6):793-797.
(BDS WITS)
Dr Chelsea Cahi works at the Cahi Dental Practice, she graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand with her BDS (Bachelor of Dental Science) in 2014, where she was the proud recipient of the Deans Golden Key Award for academic excellence. In 2015, Chelsea completed her year of community service in Soweto for impoverished communities. She has a special interest in the management of TMJ and Orofacial pain related to clenching and teeth grinding. She also focuses on children’s dentistry (including theatre work under general anaesthetic) and non-surgical facial aesthetics.
- Dr Chelsea Cahihttps://www.aestheticappointment.co.za/author/dr-chelsea-cahi
