Pulling baby teeth may be necessary to allow severely crowded permanent teeth to come in at a normal time in a normal location. If the teeth are severely crowded, some permanent teeth will either remain impacted (teeth that should have come in, but have not), or come in to an undesirable position.

NO. Most recent, large-scale studies have found that fluoridated water provides only a minor benefit to teeth, or no demonstrable benefit at all. According to a recent Canadian government review: "The magnitude of fluoridation's effect is not large in absolute terms, is often not statistically significant and may not be of clinical significance." Moreover, according to the National Academy of Sciences, fluoride is not an essential nutrient.

Permanent teeth are normally more yellow than primary teeth. This becomes very apparent when the child is between the ages of seven and ten, where the adult teeth are next to the very white baby teeth. Once the child has lost several more baby teeth, most children appear to have very white smiles. » Return to Top

Yes, the tests are necessary. Most infants with conditions identified by the Newborn Screening Program show no obvious signs of illness immediately after birth. However, each of these disorders can cause serious problems. If not found early and treated, all, except sickle cell anemia may cause brain damage and mental retardation. THERE ARE MANY OTHER CAUSES OF MENTAL RETARDATION. We have only dealt with the few for which there are good screening tests.

Only if your orthodontist cannot save or make enough room for all your teeth. Don't worry, if you have teeth pulled, recovery is about 2 days for most patients. Your orthodontist will close the spaces and no one will even notice.

FALSE : This is false as there is no direct relation at all , this is commonly beoeived due to the simple fact that , as one reaches the age of 50 , simultaneously the teeeth and eye problems can start creeping up due to maturity , how ever , one must under stand that , this is pure co -incidence and natural result of the ageing process. There is ample proof that , no one has gone blind by getting all the teeth removed.

If a baby tooth is lost too soon, the teeth beside it may tilt or drift into the empty space. Teeth in the other jaw may move up or down to fill the gap. When adjacent teeth shift into the empty space, they create a lack of space in the jaw for the permanent teeth. So, permanent teeth are crowded and come in crooked. If left untreated, the condition may require extensive orthodontic treatment.

Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth. Like the rest of the body, the teeth, bones and the soft tissues of the mouth need a well-balanced diet. Children should eat a variety of foods from the five major food groups. Sticky snacks, such as fruit rolls, gummy bears, granola bars and raisins are harmful to the teeth. The more frequently a child snacks, the greater the chance for tooth decay. How long food remains in the mouth also plays a role.

No! One possible exception would be if the removal of permanent teeth would enhance the facial profile and not be detrimental to the health of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Baby or primary teeth are just as important as permanent teeth. Some primary teeth may remain in your child's mouth until he or she is twelve years old. Besides contributing to efficient chewing, clear speech and pleasant appearance, primary teeth also help guide the erupting permanent teeth into proper position. If a primary tooth is lost prematurely, adjacent teeth may tilt or drift from their original position. This will prevent the normal eruption of underlying permanent teeth.

Teeth erupt at different times in all individuals. Your child's tooth should erupt eventually unless your dentist tells you that there is no replacement permanent tooth.

Permanent teeth are naturally darker than baby teeth. This is magnified by the simple fact that the permanent teeth are much larger and thicker than the baby teeth and light does not pass through them as easily. In addition, in most situations, you are comparing them side-by-side to the whiter, smaller baby teeth.