Parents tend to take baby teeth for granted. They may have not fully understood the reasons why these primary teeth are important. Aside from having a better physical appearance, babies need good healthy baby teeth for their nutrition and to aid them in the development of their speech. They also need to have it long enough to facilitate the development of their muscles especially on the face and bones on their jaws. Babies with good primary teeth will also have reserve space for their permanent teeth to grow. Parents especially mothers have to care for their babies’ primary teeth.
Baby teeth aid in chewing food. Babies have to eat well-balanced food and they have to learn how to chew their food properly for nutrition. They may not eat well if their primary teeth are full of tooth decay or they are experiencing sore gums and loose teeth. Babies who learn how to chew their food properly will also have better digestion for better health. Baby teeth are also needed to facilitate speech development. Babies learn to use their speech mechanisms as they grow and their primary teeth will help them form the words correctly. Those who lose their baby teeth very early tend to have some difficulties in speaking later.
When babies are able to chew their food well because of their baby teeth, they develop faster. They grow physically and mentally because they are able to take in the proper nutrients that are essential for their development. Chewing just like sucking also serves as an exercise for the development of their facial muscles and their jaws. This is necessary in aiding the baby teeth to come out properly aligned. There are times though that the structure of their primary teeth may also be influenced their genes. This may also be the case when their permanent teeth show up. Healthy baby teeth in general add to better health and to their adorable appearance.
Parents may expect their babies to keep their baby teeth for about five years though some may still have it up to ten years. These primary teeth serve as a guide so that the permanent teeth can grow properly. Parents may consult with their dentists on the things that they can do to preserve the primary teeth of their babies. Qualified dentists may also help parents in maintaining oral hygiene of babies. Babies do not know anything yet about their baby teeth. It is the parents’ responsibility to see to it that the primary teeth of their child are well taken cared of.