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.

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.

Children will begin losing their teeth at approximately age 4. They will usually lose their front teeth first. Children will continue to lose baby teeth until the age of 12 or 13 when all of the permanent teeth finally erupt.

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

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

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.

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.

There are many factors which influence the susceptibility of teeth to decay. Some of these factors may be inherited (shape of teeth), others may be influenced by environment (fluoride) or behaviour (brushing). Clean teeth do not decay. Although some people are more immune to decay than others, with good dental care cavities can be prevented. If you have a lot of fillings or even dentures your child can still grow up with healthy teeth.

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

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

Children often start losing their front teeth around the age of 6 or 7 though some children may be slightly younger or older when this happens. The back 'baby' teeth usually are not replaced with adult teeth until the ages of 10-13.

Lost Parents should visit Guest Services or ask any associate for assistance. Morey's Piers staff will immediately escort any child who appears to be lost to Guest Services.

Dr. Keith Coe, a pediatric dentist in Texas, provides very informative answers to frequently asked questions about children's dentistry. Dr. Thomas Field, a highly successful orthodontist in Gainesville, Georgia provides answers to some frequently asked questions about braces, retainers and other orthodontic treatments.

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

A baby tooth saves space for the permanent teeth and helps guide them into position. If the baby tooth is lost too soon due to decay or trauma, the teeth beside it may tilt or shift into the empty space. Permanent teeth will not have room to come in properly, creating a crowded condition or crooked teeth. This condition can lead to extensive and costly orthodontic treatment if a space maintainer is not put in to hold the space.

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.