Why are baby teeth also important?

At Tandarts West in Rotterdam West, we hear the same sigh from parents every week: "Yes, but it's just a baby tooth, it'll fall out anyway." It's understandable that parents think a temporary tooth deserves less care. But practice shows time and again that a neglected set of baby teeth has major consequences for permanent teeth. In this article I explain why baby teeth deserve at least as much attention, and how to make it easy for your child.

Why baby teeth do more than chew

Baby teeth are not a "practice version" of permanent teeth. They have three essential functions that you can't skip:

• Space holders: every baby tooth preserves the spot for the permanent tooth waiting underneath. If a baby tooth is lost too early (due to a cavity or an accident), the neighbouring teeth shift into the gap. The permanent molar or front tooth then has too little room and comes in crooked.
• Speech development: children form the "s", "f", "v" and "th" sounds between their 2nd and 5th year of life by placing the tongue against the front teeth. No front teeth means lisping or distorted pronunciation that can linger for years.
• Eating and growing: children with painful cavities chew unevenly, eat less, eat softer foods and take in fewer nutrients. This has a direct effect on growth and concentration at school.

In addition, a well-cared-for set of baby teeth supports a positive self-image. Children with visible cavities are sometimes teased, smile less, and build up early shame. All of this is preventable.

A baby tooth is not an intermediate step. It is the foundation on which permanent teeth are built.

When do baby teeth come in?

The order is remarkably consistent, while the pace varies per child. A rough guideline:

• 6-10 months: lower front teeth (the very first teeth).
• 8-12 months: upper front teeth.
• 13-19 months: first baby molars.
• 16-23 months: canines.
• 23-33 months: second baby molars, the baby set is then complete with 20 teeth.

A deviation of 3 to 6 months compared to these schedules is completely normal. Only if a tooth comes in a year later than expected is it worth stopping by your dentist in Rotterdam West. We can then use an X-ray to check whether the tooth is actually present and on which side of the jaw.

Cavities in baby teeth: very real

The enamel of baby teeth is thinner than that of permanent teeth. Cavities therefore develop faster and grow deeper. What many parents do not know: a cavity is an infection, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus mutans. Once present:

• The bacteria spread to neighbouring teeth, and later to the permanent teeth.
• An infection at the tooth root can pass through to the underlying permanent tooth bud and damage it.
• It causes pain that children often cannot clearly express, sometimes showing up as poor sleeping or refusing to eat.

That's why we always treat cavities in baby teeth. Shallow cavities with a simple filling, deeper ones with a children's crown. We only extract as a last resort, and always with a space holder as a replacement.

How do you teach your child to brush?

Brushing is a skill that is learned, not a talent. A few practical tips from our practice:

1. Twice a day, at a fixed moment

After breakfast and before bedtime. Routine helps children enormously: they get used to the rhythm and are less likely to resist. Choose deliberately after breakfast, not before, to brush away plaque and acid residues.

2. The right amount of fluoride toothpaste

• Up to age 2: a smear of toddler toothpaste with 500 ppm fluoride.
• 2-5 years: a pea-sized amount, 1000-1450 ppm fluoride.
• From age 5: the same dosage, adult toothpaste with 1450 ppm.

Important: do not rinse with water afterwards. Just spit out, so that the fluoride continues to work on the enamel. This significantly lowers the risk of cavities.

3. Finish brushing until around age 8

A child's motor skills are not sufficient for effective independent brushing before age 8. Let them start on their own, but afterwards go over the tricky spots yourself: the chewing surfaces of the back molars and the inside of the lower teeth.

4. Make it fun, not a battle

A 2-minute hourglass, a song, a brushing chart, a toy dragon that "also brushes", any trick is allowed. Forced brushing leads to a lifelong dislike, while relaxed brushing leads to a lifelong routine.

When do children lose their baby teeth and what is normal?

Losing baby teeth usually starts around age 6, beginning with the lower front teeth, and is complete around age 12. A deviation of a year in either direction is normal. Here's what you can expect:

• The order: usually first the lower front teeth, then the upper ones, followed by the first molars, canines and second molars.
• The wobbly phase: teeth first become loose because the permanent tooth "eats away" at the root from below. This can take a few weeks.
• Pull it out yourself or not? If the tooth is almost out, your child can carefully pull it out themselves. Don't force it if it's still firmly attached, that hurts and the wound bleeds longer.

Sometimes a permanent tooth comes through while the baby tooth is still in place (the "shark tooth" effect). No reason to worry: the baby tooth usually falls out within a few weeks. If it doesn't come out within 2-3 months, we'll lend a hand in the practice.

Teeth that come in at an odd spot almost always have to do with too little space, not with a problem in the jaw.

What does Tandarts West do for children?

At Tandarts West in Rotterdam West, we treat children from the moment the first tooth erupts. Concretely:

• Playful introduction. The first visit is a tour, a ride in the chair and practising with a toothbrush. No drilling or injections.
• Toy dragon "Tandi". For young children we use Tandi to explain things and let the kids practise.
• Multilingual where needed. We speak Dutch, English, Turkish, Arabic, French and German, helpful for families where Dutch is not the mother tongue.
• Pediatric dentists on the team. Our dentist Semra Genc and colleagues have specific experience in pediatric dentistry.
• Six-monthly check-ups from age 2. Covered by basic health insurance, and the foundation for preventing problems.

To finish: baby teeth do not deserve second-class treatment. They are not preparation for the real thing, they are the real thing for the first 12 years of your child's life. With the right prevention, daily care and regular check-ups at Tandarts West Rotterdam, you give your child a healthy start that will last a lifetime.