Why Your Child’s Milk Teeth Deserve Great Dental Care

It’s true that milk teeth only last a few years but this doesn’t mean they are any less important than adult teeth. Here at Clarence House Dental Care, we strongly recommend parents bring their child to see us for their first dental visit soon after they get their first tooth or by age 1. The really nice thing about starting dental care at such an early age is that your child will grow up seeing regular visits to our dentist in Watton as simply routine and nothing to be feared.

Why Milk Teeth Matter

Your child’s milk teeth not only give them an attractive smile, but enable them to learn to speak clearly so they can communicate easily and they will find it easy to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important for their general health as it will make it much easier for them to receive all the nutrients needed as they grow and develop. Milk teeth also help prepare the way for the adult teeth to erupt normally. They hold open the correct amount of space in the jaw so there is a far greater chance that their adult teeth will come through nicely aligned. If milk teeth are lost to soon, the remaining teeth can drift into the gaps, increasing the risk of adult teeth coming through crowded and crooked.

What to Expect during Your Child’s Initial Visits to Our Dental Practice

These initial visits to our dental practice enable our Watton dentist to check that your child’s teeth and jaws are developing nicely, but just as importantly they are a chance for you to chat to our friendly dental team. Patient education is a vital part of our dental practice and we are here to help you. We know it’s not always easy to brush a young child’s mouth but we can show you how to brush their teeth correctly in a way that will be easy for you both to cope with. Once their teeth come into contact you will need to begin flossing in between them, and again this is something that we can help you with.

During these visits we can also assess your child’s risk of tooth decay and will provide you with a preventative dental care plan designed to keep their milk teeth and eventually their adult teeth healthy and strong and free from disease. We can work with you to make sure their milk teeth remain healthy and if necessary any cavities can be filled or we can carry out a baby root canal treatments. Extraction is always the last resort.

What Can Be Done If My Child Needs to Have Their Milk Teeth Extracted?

If we do need to extract one or more of your child’s milk teeth then this might not be an issue if their adult teeth are due to erupt quite soon. However if their adult teeth are still quite a long way from emerging, we can hold open the correct amount of space in your child’s jaw using what’s called a space maintainer. This remains in place until the adult teeth are ready to come through.

If you’d like any more information about our children’s dentistry services then give us a call to talk to our friendly dental team on 01953 882777. You can also book an appointment online at www.ClarenceHousedental.co.uk.