subject: Finding The Best Pediatric Dentists [print this page] Many people underestimate the importance of taking their children to see pediatric dentists in their area. Believe it or not, many parents cite the reason for this as their unawareness of how important baby teeth are. Many unfortunately think that the teeth will fall out when they are young anyway, so they dont really matter as much as adult teeth do. Nothing could be farther from the truth though, as your pediatric dentist will tell you.
Baby teeth are extremely important in the childs development in many important ways. First of all, when a child is an infant, they cannot properly learn how to talk, which of course will affect them their entire lives. Also, cavities have the potential to develop into systemic problems with the body. If a cavity becomes bad enough, the bacteria from it can travel through the body, causing severe illness. Poor oral hygiene has even been linked in adults with cardiac problems and a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
Not only that, but if a child loses teeth due to poor hygiene (or for any other reason), the adult teeth will not come in correctly, either. Baby teeth keep the mouth in proper alignment so that when it is time for those adult teeth to come in they have a space reserved for them. If baby teeth are missing, the teeth will not align properly as they come down as adult teeth. Should your child get a tooth knocked out because of injury, it is important that he or she be taken to a good pediatric dentist right away.
Many parents also do not realize that proper dental care starts in infancy before the first tooth appears. It might be a little confusing, when you cannot see the teeth, but at this time it is the gums that are most important. Gum disease has the potential to start early, which of course will affect any teeth that are trying to break through. When your baby is finished with his bottle, cereal or any other snack, it is important that you run a damp washcloth over your babys gums, and this will help to prevent bacteria from building up.
Pediatric dentists will tell you that once you see teeth start to appear you can brush them with a very soft childs toothbrush. You can also rub the teeth with gauze at the end of the day, but please do not use tooth paste when they are very little. As the child gets older, you can introduce tooth paste. Should you have questions about oral care, be sure to ask your pediatric dentists.
by: Phoenix Delray
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