Many parents believe that milky teeth only exist for a short time, so they do not need too much care. However, dental experts affirm that milky teeth play an important role in the comprehensive development of children, from chewing ability, pronunciation to the formation of permanent teeth later.
Milk teeth usually start to grow when children are about 6 months old and exist until early adolescence. Throughout this period, they help children chew food effectively, thereby absorbing enough nutrients necessary for growth. If teeth are deep or painful, children may be reluctant to eat, especially hard foods such as vegetables, fruits or meat, affecting nutrition and development.
In addition to the function of eating and chewing, baby teeth also contribute to helping children pronounce clearly. The coordination between teeth, lips and tongue is an important factor in creating standard sounds. When baby teeth are lost too early or seriously damaged, children may have difficulty pronouncing some syllables, affecting the learning process of speaking and communicating.
An important role of molars is to maintain the necessary space for permanent teeth to grow in the right position. If molars fall out too early due to tooth decay, trauma, or infection, the adjacent teeth may move into that space. This increases the risk of permanent teeth growing out of place, crowding, or malaligned bites, causing children to potentially have to undergo dental correction treatment as they grow up.
Tooth decay in children is one of the most common dental diseases. Initially, it is just small decay holes, but if not detected and treated promptly, the lesions can spread, causing pain, inflammation, infection, affecting eating, sleeping and daily activities. In some cases, infection can also affect the growing permanent roots underneath, increasing the risk of permanent teeth discoloration or structural defects.
Oral health also affects children's psychology. Prolonged tooth pain or deep, broken, and premature loss of teeth can make children reluctant to smile, lack confidence in communication, and reduce their ability to participate in learning and playing activities with friends.
To protect baby teeth, parents should start oral care for children from a young age. You can clean your gums with a soft towel before teeth grow, then guide your child to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride-containing toothpaste suitable for their age. At the same time, it is necessary to limit sugary foods and drinks, build a balanced diet and take children to dental check-ups periodically to detect problems early.
Although they will be replaced over time, milky teeth are still an important foundation for long-term oral health. Proper care from the early years of life will help children have healthy teeth, develop comprehensively and reduce the risk of oral diseases in the future.
