Milk teeth – eruption, care, role. Caries of milk teeth

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Milk teeth, despite the fact that many people are not aware of it, are very important in everyone’s life. Certainly, the period of their eruption is not comfortable for both the child and the parents, nevertheless, when they grow up, they should be properly taken care of. Read how important milk teeth are and how to properly care for them.

The order of the eruption of primary teeth

Milk teeth erupt through a baby’s gums in the first few years of life. By the time an infant is 2,5 to 3 years old, all 20 milk teeth should be fully grown. The eruption of deciduous teeth in a child is as follows:

1. the four front teeth, the central incisors, are the first teeth to erupt (two in the upper and two in the lower jaw) and begin to appear during the first 6 to 12 months of a child’s life. Some babies develop as early as around 5 months of age. We are, of course, talking about the upper and lower ones,
2. next, next to the central incisors, two lateral incisors are erupted in the maxilla and the mandible (two upper and lower). At 15 months, babies usually have a full set of eight incisors – biting or cutting teeth,
3. then the first molars appear to help the baby grind the food (the lower and upper fours). The first two molars in each jaw erupt and are positioned one space from the incisors to make room for the canines between them. The first molars should be around 19 months old,
4. then the canines (triples) or tubercle teeth appear, with two teeth usually appearing in each jaw by 23 months of age. These teeth are used to rip apart food and allow your baby to cope better with more textured foods.
5. finally, the second molars (fives) emerge, again two on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw, and complete the set of 20 milk teeth from 21 to 31 months of age.

The pattern of formation of milk teeth may vary from child to child, but the schedule is generally as follows:

1. at about 15 months of age, there are usually 8 teeth,
2. at about 19 months of age, there are usually 12 teeth,
3. at about 23 months of age, there are usually 16 teeth,
4. at about 27 months of age, there are usually 20 teeth.

When the milk teeth are complete, the baby’s jaws grow to make room for permanent teeth that begin to emerge around the age of 6. Milk teeth begin to fall out and are replaced with a full set of permanent teeth around the age of 12.

Also read: Sealing teeth

Milk teeth – why are they needed?

Milk teeth are essential for a child’s physical and mental development. While your baby’s mouth is not yet big enough to grow permanent teeth that will be needed later in life, the baby’s smaller teeth grow to structure the jaw muscles, ensure it grows to the correct size, and provide a guide for the eruption path of later teeth.

In the early years, baby teeth also aid in chewing and eating as babies transition from drinking milk to eating solid foods. Milk teeth also play a key role in the development of children’s speech.

Milk teeth – care

As with permanent teeth, you should also take care of milk teeth. Sweet foods and acidic sodas damage milk teeth, and even sugars in milk can cause tooth decay. Like adults, babies and children should brush their teeth with a special toothpaste twice a day – there are many products on the market for babies and children that will help keep your teeth clean and healthy. Children under the age of six should have their milk teeth brushed by adults.

It should be remembered that caring for milk teeth does not only involve brushing them daily, but also obtaining nutrients important for their proper growth from the diet. Babies should get all the nutrients they need, including calcium from breast or formula milk, while older children consume cow’s milk and other calcium-rich foods such as cheese and yoghurt to support developing teeth and bones.

Taking care of a child’s milk teeth is another very important issue – well, visiting the dentist. Some dentists recommend that you go to your first appointment after the appearance of the first milk tooth. Prophylactically, deciduous teeth check-up should take place at least once every three months.

Also read: The pandemic is also visible in our teeth. Almost half of Poles avoided the dentist

Milk teeth – when do they fall out?

Of course, with age, young children slowly lose milk teeth – which does not mean that milk teeth do not require care either. In fact, if milk teeth are affected by decay, it can also cause decay to the permanent teeth growing beneath them.

Milk teeth will gradually fall out until the age of 12. The first deciduous teeth to fall out will be the middle incisors 6-7 years of age, and the lateral incisors will fall out a year later. Then the first molars and canines, which may fall out around 9 to 11 years of age, and finally the second molars, around 12 years of age.

In their place, 32 full-size permanent teeth will grow, and these are built to last the rest of our lives. Permanent teeth can take a long time to appear, especially when you include wisdom teeth (eighth teeth), which can often still erupt well into your thirties.

Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule. Fans of the popular TV show Stranger Things may have noticed that Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin on the show, has not yet lost all his milk teeth at the age of 15. This is because Gaten has a rare disease called clavicle-cranial dysostosis (CCD), which affects the development of teeth and bones, often causing both deciduous and permanent teeth to appear much later than usual. Some of the effects of this condition, including lisp and misalignment of the jaws, show how important milk teeth are.

See: Surgical eights removal

What is the difference between milk teeth and permanent teeth?

The main difference between milk teeth and permanent teeth is that milk teeth have thinner enamel and dentin layers. There are also smaller ones and there are fewer of them – 20 milk teeth and 32 permanent teeth. And one more key difference – milk teeth fall out on their own, permanent teeth do not.

Read: Do you brush your teeth often in a hurry? You can hurt yourself

Milk teeth – facts and myths

Myth: Cavities on milk teeth should not be treated, because they will fall out anyway

It should be remembered that milk teeth play an important role in the development of speech and chewing food. They also fit into the aesthetics of the face, therefore their role in the socialization of the child should not be underestimated. Untreated primary teeth are also a source of chronic infections that can affect the initial permanent teeth.

Myth: Children can brush their teeth on their own.

The subtle movements required to brush your teeth properly develop up to eight years. Parents should monitor how often and how well children brush their milk teeth, especially for younger children who tend to get impatient with this habit.

Myth: Bottle feeding does not harm your baby’s oral health.

The second largest factor in the development of tooth decay is the consumption of carbohydrates. In most cases, infant formula is saturated with carbohydrates, leading to the baby bottle syndrome: oral cavity, which quickly affects all teeth.

Myth: We will not take a child to the dentist if the dental condition is not visible.

Children must undergo regular dental check-ups, no matter how perfect their teeth look. It is also important to start positive conversations about visiting the dentist early so that your child does not develop dentophobia.

Remember: no child is born out of fear of the dentist – dentophobia is learned.

See: The hominid robot will help young dentists

Caries of milk teeth – is it possible?

Caries of primary teeth (called early childhood caries) is the most common chronic infectious disease in childhood. Caries of primary teeth can also be called bottle caries or infant caries.

Healthy dental habits should be started early as decay can develop after the first tooth appears.

Caries develops when the responsible bacteria appear in a child’s mouth. Parents and caregivers can transfer bacteria into their children’s mouths through saliva. For example, bacteria can spread when parents and children share a meal with cutlery, drink from one cup, test the food before serving it to the children, and ‘clean’ the teat in the mouth of a parent or caregiver.

Caries also develops when a child’s teeth and gums are exposed to any fluids other than water. Natural sugars or sugars added to drinks are converted in the mouth by bacteria into acid that affects the outside of the teeth, causing tooth decay.

Most often it happens when parents put their children to bed with a bottle of formula milk, milk, juice (even mixed with water) or sweetened drinks. Tooth decay also occurs when children consume large amounts of the above-mentioned fluids during the day, instead of plain water.

Milk, in this case cow’s milk, should only be given with meals, not during the day, during a nap, or at bedtime. Although prolonged and frequent breastfeeding alone does not cause tooth decay, all breastfeeding mothers should be aware of and follow the recommendations regarding oral hygiene, dental prophylaxis and a healthy diet of the baby.

Read: Carbonated drinks containing caffeine harm children

Caries of milk teeth – symptoms

Caries may first appear as white spots on the gum line on the upper front teeth. These stains are hard to see at first – even for a child’s doctor or dentist – without the proper equipment. A child with caries must be examined and treated early to stop the spread of caries and prevent further damage.

How to prevent decay of baby teeth in infants?

It should be taken care of from the very first outgrown milk tooth. Take the following steps to prevent decay in your children’s primary teeth:

1. Whether you choose to breastfeed or bottlefeed, it’s important to care for your baby’s milk teeth,
2. from birth to 12 months of age – keep your baby’s mouth clean by gently wiping the gums with a clean baby washcloth. When you see the first teeth, gently brush your teeth with a soft baby brush and a small amount of toothpaste appropriate for the child’s age.
3. in children from 12 to 36 months – brush your baby’s teeth twice a day for 2 minutes. Use fluoride toothpaste until your child is three years old. The best time to brush your milk teeth is after breakfast and at bedtime.
4. never put your baby to bed with a bottle or food. Not only does this expose your baby’s milk teeth to sugars, it can also put your baby at risk for ear infections and choking.
5. do not use a non-spill bottle or cup as a pacifier, and do not let your baby drink from it for extended periods of time. If your child wants to drink from a non-spill bottle or cup (of course, this is a last resort, it is recommended that you learn to drink from an open cup / glass as early as possible) between meals, fill them with water only.
6. Limit the amount of sweet or sticky foods your baby consumes, such as candies, jelly beans, cookies, fruit rolls or cookies – especially before the age of one. Sugar is also contained in foods such as crackers and crisps.
7. do not give your baby sweet drinks and juices. The best thing you can give your child to drink is water.
8. preventively check your child’s milk teeth at the dentist.