Table of contents:
- How can baby teeth affect the growth of permanent teeth?
- What can be done to maintain healthy teeth from a young age?
Baby teeth are only temporary. These teeth are the first to appear when you are a baby, and will then fall out and be replaced with permanent teeth. However, that does not mean that baby teeth do not have to be kept healthy. Maybe many parents take baby teeth on their children, but this is wrong. Why? Because in fact baby teeth can affect the growth of permanent teeth of children. How can?
How can baby teeth affect the growth of permanent teeth?
Baby teeth are very important and can even determine the permanent dentition of children. Baby teeth are actually already in the gums of babies since the baby is born and usually begin to appear when the baby is 6 months old. At around 3 years of age, children generally have complete baby teeth, totaling 20 teeth. Consists of four incisors, two canines, and four molars on each of the upper and lower jaw.
Permanent dentition is related to baby teeth. When permanent teeth are fully developed, permanent teeth will start to appear. Thus encouraging baby teeth to fall out. Permanent teeth are actually already developing in the gums and just waiting for the right time to appear and replace baby teeth.
Baby teeth largely determine the space available for permanent teeth to grow. Untreated baby teeth can make permanent teeth difficult to grow and can fall apart. Baby teeth that fall out earlier can make permanent teeth freer to grow, so they can take up space for other teeth to grow. This makes it harder for the adjacent teeth to find room to grow. As a result, your child's teeth may fall apart and overlap.
A cavity or damaged baby tooth should receive extra attention. When baby teeth are cavities or damaged, they cannot guide the permanent teeth to grow in the right places. As a result, permanent teeth can grow stacked and uneven. These stacked or uneven teeth will then be more difficult to clean. Cavities in baby teeth can also potentially spread the infection throughout the body.
Therefore, dental care starting from baby teeth is needed. The impact is not only for now, but for years to come. Routinely clean your teeth since childhood, when baby teeth have started to grow.
What can be done to maintain healthy teeth from a young age?
It is important for you as a parent to pay attention to the dental health of children since their milk teeth begin to grow. Some things you can do to keep your child's teeth healthy are:
- The first few days after the baby is born, you can start cleaning the baby's mouth. How? You can wipe the baby's gums with a clean cloth. When your baby's first teeth start to appear around the age of 6 months, you can regularly clean your baby's teeth after each feeding. The method is the same, namely by wiping the baby's milk teeth with a clean cloth. Newborn baby teeth can already be damaged. For that, you must always maintain the health of your baby's teeth.
- When the child is getting older (about the age of 3 years), you can begin to teach children to brush their teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste. However, monitor the child's use of toothpaste, don't overdo it and don't swallow it. Brush your teeth twice a day, namely in the morning and before bed.
