It may seem pointless to treat your child’s baby teeth with the same type of dental hygiene as an adult would; those teeth are just going to be fall out to make room for the permanent teeth, right? This is a common misconception about baby teeth that Dr. Ajit Patel and Dr. Joseph Errera, dentists at Ashburn Pediatric Dental Center in Ashburn, Virginia, want to clear up. Maintaining the health of baby teeth is an investment in the future of oral health. Here’s why:
Paving the way for permanent teeth
The baby teeth, or primary teeth, are the guideposts for the adult teeth. If one or more of the baby teeth suffer a significant amount of decay, your Ashburn pediatric dentist may decide to extract the tooth. This can cause problems with the way the adult teeth grow in, particularly if the tooth is pulled years before it is scheduled to fall out on its own. Lack of childhood dental care can also lead to problems with the gum tissue, which needs to be stable and healthy in order to properly support permanent teeth later.
Early treatment is key
No parent wants to see their child in pain. However, if cavities or other dental problems are left to their own devices, they can spread to the inner tissues of a tooth and cause a significant amount of pain. The treatments necessary to rectify these problems are typically more in-depth and expensive. By beginning visits to your Ashburn pediatric dentist by the time your child is a year old, these issues will be detected sooner and treated more conservatively.
Maintain self-confidence
From a very young age, healthy teeth are seen as an indicator of happiness, success and overall wellness. When you have a healthy smile, you give off a good first impression. If your preschooler or elementary-school aged child has decayed or damaged teeth from lack of care, their self-esteem may be negatively impacted, especially if their peers comment on their appearance.
If you’d like to schedule an appointment for your baby or child to be seen at Ashburn Pediatric Dental Center, give us a call today! We’d be glad to help start you and your child on a path to the best dental health possible!