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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

From as early as five years old children should be encouraged to apply the 45O method, also known as the Bass Technique (see more under brushing). The GUM Kids Technique Toothbrush has been especially designed to help develop this good brushing technique. It has a non-slip quad-grip handle to help guide the child's hand to correctly position the toothbrush at a 45O angle, so that that the bristles clean under the gum line.

What do you do if you or your child gets a broken or knocked out tooth? Follow the tips in this guideline for safely transporting a tooth for reimplantation. Carol & Richard Eustice, our guides to arthritis have provided this wonderful list of the top 10 best electric toothbrushes for arthritic patients. Mark Cichocki, R.N., our Guide to HIV/AIDS, provides an overview of oral thrush and how it can affect people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

Have you ever wondered about the history of dentistry? What did teeth used to be filled with? How was toothpaste and dental floss introduced? Who invented false teeth? Find these answers and more!