Children begin getting their baby teeth around 4 to 6 months of age and then turn around and begin losing them at about 5 years of age. So what if your four year old comes to visit us and we find a cavity? We often hear from parents, “Why bother to fill the cavity, the tooth is just going to fall out anyway. Does it really matter?” And the answer is; Yes. It does matter.
WHAT ARE CAVITIES?
Cavities are weakened spots in the enamel of a tooth where bacteria have gotten in and the tooth begins to decay. For small cavities, there is a small possibility that they will repair themselves or through proper cleaning, can be prevented from getting bigger.
However, that’s something that only can be determined by one of our dentists. Baby teeth are extremely important in your child’s oral health development and they should be cared for just as carefully as we take care of our permanent teeth.
Baby teeth help your child learn to speak properly, they guide the permanent teeth into the correct places and they ensure that the adult teeth are healthy and protected until they’re ready to erupt. Baby teeth, also called primary teeth, are thinner than permanent teeth and therefore can be more prone to cavities. If a small cavity in a baby tooth is left unattended, it can quickly grow and become infected.
We’ve even seen cases where a child requires a root canal or a crown and we like to help you avoid this if at all possible.
In short, it’s best for your child to have healthy baby teeth for as long as possible to ensure the proper growth and positioning of their adult teeth. So if we do happen to find a cavity, filling it can make certain that your child keeps that tooth healthy until the next ones are ready to come in! Call us today to schedule your child’s next cleaning and together we’ll work to make sure that your child has healthy teeth!
