Primary, or "baby," teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt. Some of them are necessary until a child is 12 years old or longer. Pain, infection of the gums and jaws, impairment of general health and premature loss of teeth are just a few of the problems that can happen when baby teeth are neglected.

If the tooth is a permanent tooth, time is extremely crucial. Immediately stick the tooth back in the socket. Don't worry about getting it in straight or having it turned backwards, just get it in the socket and immediately call your dentist. If you are uncomfortable placing the tooth in the socket, put it in a glass of milk and get your child to the dentist as quickly as possible. If the tooth is a baby tooth, do not put it in the socket because damage to the permanent tooth can occur.

Contact your pediatric dentist as soon as possible. Baby teeth are usually not put back but the child should be seen by the dentist to check if any roots remain or other teeth have been injured.

If the baby teeth are moderately to very loose, there is no immediate treatment. Patience is recommended. This is a normal process. The tongue will push the permanent lower front teeth forward. If the teeth are not very loose, your child should be seen to take an x-ray and evaluate the situation. Most children stop sucking their fingers between the ages of three to five. Sucking of a finger can have a significant effect on the bite.

Temporary or permanent teeth, both should be filled when they have caries. Temporary teeth though they fall off after sometime but they have particular timing of shading off. It is necessary for them to stay it's full period because extracting them before time create a free space for long time which causes remaining teeth to move & compromise the space of upcoming permanent tooth causing mal-alignment. That is why you should not neglect your child's teeth even if they are temporary.

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A series of small changes over a period of time is usually easier and eventually leads to better oral health. Once that period is over, if you give a child a bottle, fill it with water or give the child a clean pacifier recommended by a dentist. The only safe liquid to put in a bottle to prevent baby bottle tooth decay is water.

Once the baby teeth have loosened, ice is the best anesthetic for removing children’s teeth. First apply ice to the tooth and gums around it. After a minute or so, using a dry paper towel, apply quick twisting leverage to the splinter-like baby tooth.

Sticky food we eat gets stuck on the tooth surface which when reacted by bacteria inside our mouth forms certain acids which are actually responsible for breach or lesion on the surface of tooth known as dental cavity. Patient can also detect a cavity by himself/herself.

A - YES! Although the crown itself can't become decayed, the root surface below the edge of the crown can develop a cavity. To prevent this, it is crucial to brush and floss around the crown just as you would with your other teeth to removed any bacterial plaque that would cause decay.

We recommend rinsing the child's mouth with warm salt water. You may place a cold washcloth on their face if it is swollen. Children may be given Children's Tylenol or Children's Motrin for tooth pain. (Never give aspirin to children) If your child is currently experiencing pain, contact our office to schedule an appointment immediately. » Return to Top

The most important thing to do is to remain calm. If you have the tooth, you should attempt to insert it back into its socket and then contact us immediately. If you have difficulty re-inserting the tooth, place it in a glass of milk and contact us immediately. » Return to Top

If a primary tooth has a cavity, it can cause the child pain and discomfort. It can also be lost prematurely, which can cause a problem. The primary teeth hold the space in the dental arch for the permanent teeth to erupt, if this space is lost due to premature loss of the primary teeth, the permanent teeth will have no space to erupt and come in crowded. Filling a cavity in a primary tooth permits the tooth to be retained until it is naturally lost.

Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by the frequent and long-term exposure of a child's teeth to liquids containing sugars. Among these liquids are milk, formula, fruit juice, sodas and other sweetened drinks. The sugars in these liquids pool around the infant's teeth and gums, feeding the bacteria in plaque. Every time a child consumes a sugary liquid, acid produced by these bacteria attack the teeth and gums. After numerous attacks, tooth decay can begin.

A - If the impact was significant enough to cause concern, your child should be seen by a dentist to have the tooth evaluated. Often a tooth can recover, but occassionally the tooth may become abscessed (dead), turn dark, and cause pain. Even if the tooth appears to be OK, it is best to have it looked at and an x-ray taken so that an infection can be ruled out and also so that there is a picture to compare it to in follow up evaluations.

A - In many cases, a space maintainer can be placed in order to hold the space open so that the gap doesn't close and block out the permanent teeth. An evaluation by your dentist can help you make this decision.