A - It is very important to retain baby teeth until they are ready to come out. Your child will be loosing his/her first tooth around age 5 and will loose the last one around age 12 to 13. Decayed baby teeth left untreated can cause your child great pain and can lead to a life threatening systemic infection. Baby teeth are important in your child's ability to eat comfortably and to chew food into easy to digest pieces. Teeth are also important in learning to speak properly and to be understood.

A baby tooth usually stays in until a permanent tooth underneath pushes it out and takes its place. Unfortunately, some children lose a baby tooth too soon. A tooth might be knocked out accidentally or removed because of dental disease. When a tooth is lost too early, your pediatric dentist may recommend a space maintainer to prevent future space loss and dental problems. Baby teeth are important to your child's present and future dental health. See similar questions...

Unless a baby tooth will fall out in the next several months, it is generally unwise to leave decay on baby teeth. Decay can easily move to other baby teeth or even to permanent teeth. It can also cause pain, and possibly lead to facial infections, and expensive orthodontic problems that could have been avoided. We recommend carefully restoring all decayed teeth to optimal health. See similar questions...

Answer: Yes. A kitten's baby teeth come out between approximately 11 to 30 weeks of age. They are then replaced by permanent teeth. See similar questions...

Primary (or baby) teeth act as natural spaces for the permanent teeth. If lost prematurely, the other baby teeth drift into spaces and block the erupting permanent tooth out. The presence of primary tooth also allows for the underlying permanent tooth to develop at a normal rate See similar questions...

Taking care of baby teeth is instrumental in enhancing the health of the growing adult teeth. The primary teeth guide the permanent teeth into position and allow normal development of the jawbone and muscles. Early loss or damage to baby teeth can severely affect the outcome of the permanent teeth because baby teeth hold the space for their successors. As with adults, children need healthy teeth and mouths to chew food, learn to pronounce words properly, speak clearly and smile with confidence. See similar questions...

A toothbrush will remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay. Any soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head, preferably one designed specifically for infants, should be used at least once a day at bedtime. See similar questions...

A soft bristled, small headed toothbrush should be used at least once per day before bedtime. Toothpaste is not necessary for children under 3 years old. The main goal is to remove food residue from your child's teeth. » Return to Top See similar questions...

Some children can be comforted by chewing on a teething biscuit, a piece of toast, or a frozen teething ring. Teething medications can also be applied to the gums to reduce discomfort and are available at your pharmacy. A child may also benefit from occasional use of infant Tylenol or another pain reliever. » Return to Top See similar questions...

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 See similar questions...

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. See similar questions...

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. See similar questions...

Even though primary (baby) teeth eventually fall out, they reserve space for your child's permanent teeth. So if a tooth is lost too early, new teeth could grow in crooked. See similar questions...

There are several reasons that make the dentist to extract a tooth, such as advanced gum disease (the bone that held the tooth is lost); advanced decay that could make impossible the tooth to be reconstructed; or root fracture, normally after an accident. See similar questions...

Although each baby is different, most babies begin teething between six and eight months after birth. The first teeth to appear are typically the two lower front teeth (central incisors) followed by the two upper front teeth. The complete set of 20 primary teeth should occur by the age of three. If your baby is feeling some discomfort, use a teething gel, to help ease the pain. Or give your baby a very cold or frozen teething ring. See similar questions...