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Did you know that baby teeth can affect incoming adult teeth? More than just chewing and smiling, baby teeth can actually impact the health and well being of incoming adult teeth. Here’s why healthy baby teeth matter for an adult smile.  

Healthy Baby Teeth Keep Kids in School

Your child’s oral health is directly related to their academic performance. On average, children miss just over two days of school every year due to oral ailments. Lost school hours are closely linked to poor academic performance, and can cause your child’s grades to suffer. Additionally, tooth decay is painful and distracting, and can cause your child to lose focus in school or even prevent them from participating in the class discussion.  

Luckily, cavities are nearly 100% preventable. You can help your child prevent cavities by getting them into a healthy oral care routine where they brush twice per day for 2 minutes at a time, and floss once per day.  

Untreated Baby Tooth Decay can Get effect Adult Teeth

If tooth decay goes untreated, then it can worsen into a tooth abscess – which is a tooth infection that spreads to the root of the tooth. If a primary tooth, know as a baby tooth, abscesses and becomes infected, then the infection can spread to the incoming adult tooth. This can cause early tooth decay in developing adult teeth, and lead to pain and potential tooth loss. 

Baby Teeth Inform Adult Smile Alignment

Baby teeth are temporary, however, if a baby tooth is knocked out too soon, it can lead to other teeth crowding the vacant spot. This can cause alignment issues when the permanent tooth begins to emerge, and could cause crooked teeth and biting problems. If your child has a misaligned smile, or biting problems, then the issues will need to be corrected with oral appliances later down the road – and that can cost a lot of money. Furthermore, crooked adult teeth (or malocclusion) are more difficult to clean, and more susceptible to retaining food particles that can lead to cavities.  

Schedule a Dental Checkup with us Every Six Months

Dental checkups are important for dentists to prevent cavities and other oral health issues, and also give parents the opportunity to learn more about healthy oral practices that they can use at home.