Today’s article from Ritchie Dental Group focuses on the importance of healthy baby (primary) teeth.
Some people don’t understand how important they are. Many parents don’t brush them thoroughly. Some allow their child to drink sugary juice from a sippy cup all day. They figure that they will get serious about oral hygiene when their little one’s permanent teeth come in.
These misconceptions are unfortunate. Childhood tooth decay is so widespread that many in the medical community call it a public health crisis.
Why are healthy baby teeth vital?
1. Baby teeth keep the proper amount of space available for the permanent teeth that will come in later.
2. Baby teeth are necessary for normal speech development. (This is especially important for Marble Falls parents who are dying to know what their little one means when they point to something repeatedly and say ‘scklash’ or ‘grag-grag’.)
3. Healthy baby teeth help your youngster eat a varied, nutritious diet. Decayed baby teeth make it hard to chew. This can cause your child to reject many different foods. Especially high-nutrient raw vegetables.
4. And, finally, tooth decay and infection can be passed down from baby teeth to permanent teeth as they develop below them. That’s not what you want for the teeth your son or daughter is going to have for the rest of their life.
If your youngster hasn’t seen a dentist yet, we invite you to schedule a pediatric dental examination at Ritchie Dental Group. We recommend starting dental visits before their first birthday.