| By :
Nick Messe
Parents often overlook the importance of baby teeth which are also called primary teeth. These teeth are not permanent, so a common belief is that caring for them isn't important. This is a gross misconception, as any dentist will tell you. A child's baby teeth are actually vital and serve many purposes other than biting and chewing. They help provide much-needed nutrition, they aid in speech development as well as the development of the jaw bones and facial muscles, and they reserve space for the permanent teeth to come in. The most obvious use of a child's baby teeth is to help provide nutrition. Teeth are primarily used for biting and chewing, and if a person's teeth are not healthy or properly aligned he or she will not be able to eat a well-balanced diet. Proper nutrition is especially important for a growing child. While babies can easily consume liquids or softer foods, the older child won't be able to consume the right variety of foods if eating causes pain. The first stage of digestion happens in the mouth, and a child who swallows too rapidly without chewing properly could prolong the digestion process. Chewing foods of different textures also stimulates the gums and provides a cleansing action for teeth. A baby's jaw and facial muscles need exercise in order to develop just like any other muscle in the body. Sucking provides plenty of exercise for a baby's facial muscles, but these muscles also get exercise from chewing once a baby is able to enjoy solid foods. This exercise is necessary for the baby teeth and the permanent teeth to come in properly. Teeth are also important for speech development. Anyone who has listened to children speak after they have begun to lose their baby teeth knows the huge difference teeth make in their pronunciation. These children have for the most part know how to speak. A baby, on the other hand, is just learning. It is important that they learn to speak correctly, and if they have misaligned, damaged, or even missing teeth proper speech development may be an issue. Just because they are not permanent doesn't mean that baby teeth aren't important. Many dentists recommend that parents begin taking their children to a pediatric dentist when the children are about two years old. The baby teeth will have come in at this time. Proper dental hygiene should be taught to children starting at this age as well. Children should be encouraged to brush their own teeth at least once a day, preferably at bedtime. Regular visits to the dentist are very important, cavities should receive fillings, and cosmetic dentistry may be necessary in extreme cases.
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