Parents are most concerned about their children's growth and development, especially when it comes to the emergence of their teeth. If certain dental issues are not addressed in a timely manner, they may affect the appearance and, in severe cases, even lead to functional problems, impacting speech, chewing, and bite abilities!

Q1: Is it okay for children to have cavities in their baby teeth?

Around the age of 6, children's baby teeth start to shed and permanent teeth emerge, replacing the baby teeth. During this stage, known as the "mixed dentition stage", both baby teeth and permanent teeth coexist in the mouth. Some parents may think, "Baby teeth will fall out eventually, so cavities don't matter." However, the health of baby teeth can affect the gums and even the permanent teeth. When baby teeth decay, it can cause toothaches, impact eating and speech, and even affect the position and health of permanent teeth. Crooked alignment and difficulty in cleaning can increase the risk of early cavities in permanent teeth.

Q2: What are the treatment options when permanent teeth erupt before baby teeth have shed?

There is a common misconception that if permanent teeth erupt before baby teeth have shed, it may cause misalignment of the permanent teeth. However, this situation varies from person to person. The growth space for permanent teeth depends on whether there is enough room in the dental arch. If there is insufficient space, even if baby teeth are shed or extracted, there is still a possibility of misalignment in the eruption of permanent teeth.

There is also a common misconception in the public that some parents may be satisfied with their child's baby teeth being aligned neatly and almost without gaps. However, this is not an ideal situation because permanent teeth are larger than baby teeth. This means that in the future, when the permanent teeth erupt, there will be crowding of the teeth.

In addition, under normal circumstances, permanent teeth emerge after the shedding of baby teeth to replace them. However, there are cases where permanent teeth in the lower front region grow from the inside of the baby teeth, even if the baby teeth have not fallen out yet. Parents need not worry, as the lower front permanent teeth naturally develop on the inside of the lower jawbone, and their emergence from the inside is a normal transitional process, regardless of the available space for tooth eruption.

Some parents may wonder: if there seems to be insufficient space for the growth of the lower front teeth, should the baby incisors or adjacent baby teeth be extracted to make room for them and ensure proper alignment? It is not recommended to do so. Removing baby teeth prematurely can lead to other issues, such as misalignment of the dental midline, dental arch contraction, and loss of space for the permanent teeth to develop.



Q3: Does a child need to use dental floss?

Children's teeth have larger gaps when they are first erupting, and a toothbrush is sufficient to clean the areas between the teeth. As the child's teeth start to come closer together, they can begin using dental floss to help clean the interdental spaces.

Q4: Is it a problem if a child bites their fingers?

When children habitually bite their fingers or pen caps while doing homework, many parents perceive it as a harmless habit. However, these habits can have numerous negative effects. Prolonged pressure on the teeth can cause them to shift or become misaligned. In severe cases, it can narrow the dental arch, leading to issues with tooth alignment and bite alignment, and even affect jawbone development.

Q5: At what age should children start seeing a dentist?

Children can begin regular dental visits as early as when their first tooth emerges, typically around 6 to 8 months of age. Dentists will perform oral examinations and provide dental care for children, allowing them to become familiar with the dental clinic environment and prevent dental anxiety as they grow older.

If any dental issues are noticed in children, it is important to schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible to avoid missing the optimal treatment window and increasing the complexity of treatment.

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