It is understandable that no mom wants to put her child through something uncomfortable (and possibly painful) if they can avoid it. However, when it comes to their health, mom is willing to do anything possible to make sure their child is healthy. Health also applies to the entire body and that includes a child’s teeth. Children have baby teeth that they don’t start losing until they are about 6 years old, on average, and then their adult teeth will come through. It is easy to take baby teeth for granted and not really be concerned too much about them because they just fall out anyways.
If a child gets a cavity in their baby teeth, mom may be tempted to just ignore it because that tooth is not going to be staying in their mouth long, but that would be a mistake. There are numerous reasons why we need to take care of our children’s baby teeth even if they are just temporary.
Basic Tooth Biology
When we look at what a cavity is, we can begin to understand why it is so important to make sure it is taken care of. According to Colgate, when someone has a cavity that means that bad oral bacteria are eating away at the tooth. This causes decay and decay can spread to other teeth in the mouth. If one tooth that has a cavity is left untreated, after time, it can spread to neighboring teeth and cause them to decay.
The Opposite Reaction
When mom doesn’t want to take her child to get a cavity filled, she may be causing the very thing she is trying to avoid. Mom is delaying the trip because she is worried about her child being in pain or discomfort. Cavities can be painful for children and cause them pain in their mouths or gums. The quicker a cavity is treated, the less amount of time the child will have to sit in the dentist’s chair.
Baby Teeth Are Related To Adult Teeth
One of the common misconceptions about baby teeth is that they have no impact on the adult teeth and that is not true. If baby teeth are not taken care of, it can cause issues with adult teeth. Baby teeth act as a guide for an adult tooth to come in after and if the tooth structure is damaged, then it is not going to set a good path for the adult tooth. Depending on the age of the child, and which tooth has a cavity, it could be years before it falls out (molars don’t tend to fall out until a child is about 10 years old).
It’s Not Just About The Teeth
Teeth may just be a small part of our body, but they have a larger role to play. Teeth are just as connected to other aspects of a human’s body as veins are and what happens to them can have a negative impact on the rest of the body, according to The Boston Globe. An untreated cavity is prone to infection, and infections in the teeth that are not taken care of can spread to the face and other parts of the body.
The longer a baby tooth with a cavity is not treated, the more complications it can cause and the harder it is going to be fix. While it may be uncomfortable, baby teeth should be looked at right away.
Sources: Boston Globe, Colgate