Your Teeth

About Teeth

Throughout your life, you have two sets of teeth:

Primary or “baby” teeth
Secondary or permanent teeth

Teeth begin to develop between the third and sixth months of pregnancy. At birth, even though you can’t see them, your baby already has 20 primary teeth. At age six to eight months, the primary teeth appear; all 20 are in place by age three.

Dental Development

Primary Teeth

The primary teeth play a crucial role in your children’s dental development. Without them, your child cannot chew food properly and has difficulty speaking clearly. Healthy teeth:

Allow for clear pronunciation and speech habits.
Are vital to development of the jaws.
Guide the permanent teeth into place when they replace the primary teeth.

Since primary teeth guide the permanent teeth into place, infants with missing primary teeth, or infants who prematurely lose primary teeth, may require a space maintainer, a device used to hold the natural space open. Without a maintainer, the teeth can tilt toward the empty space and cause permanent teeth to come in crooked. If you notice missing teeth, you should always mention it to The Super Dentists and their team of professionals. The way your child cares for his/her primary teeth plays a critical role in how he/she treats the permanent teeth. Children and adults are equally susceptible to plaque and gum problems-hence the need for regular care and dental checkups.

Permanent Teeth

With the exception of wisdom teeth, your permanent teeth begin to grow around age six. All permanent teeth are present between ages 12 and 14. The next teeth to grow in are your 12-year molars, and finally the wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth typically begin breaking through from age 17 and on. The total number of permanent teeth is 32, though few people have room for all 32 teeth. This is why your wisdom teeth are usually removed.

The front teeth are called incisors, the sharp “fang” teeth are canines; the next side teeth are referred to as pre-molars or bicuspids, and the back teeth are molars. The second set of teeth are the ones we keep for life, so it is vital that they are brushed and flossed regularly and that periodic check-ups by The Super Dentists and their team of professionals are followed.

Dental Health

Getting your children started on good dental hygiene and oral care early in their lives is vital. According to research, the most common chronic childhood disease in America is tooth decay, affecting 50 percent of first-graders and 80 percent of 17-year-olds. Early treatment prevents problems affecting a child’s health, well-being, self-image and overall achievement.

The National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research estimates that children miss:

52 million hours of school each year due to oral health problems.
Approximately 12.5 million days of restricted activity every year from dental symptoms.

Because this results in such a significant loss in their academic performance, the Surgeon General has made children’s oral health a priority.

As a parent, you are responsible for ensuring your children’s daily practice of good dental hygiene. You must introduce proper oral care early in your children’s lives—as early as infancy. An optimal oral hygiene routine for children recommended by the American Dental Hygiene Association includes:

Thoroughly cleaning your infant’s gums after each feeding with a water-soaked infant cloth. This stimulates the gum tissue and removes food.
Brushing your baby’s erupted teeth gently with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush using a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste.
Teaching your child at age 2 or 3 about proper brushing and gentle flossing until 7 or 8 years old.
Regular visits with their dentist to check for cavities in the primary teeth and for possible developmental problems.
Encouraging your child to discuss any fears they may have about oral health visits, but not mentioning words like “pain” or “hurt,” since this may instill the possibility of pain in the child’s thought process.
Determining if the water supply that serves your home is fluoridated; if not, discussing supplement options with your dentist or hygienist.
Asking our staff about sealant applications to protect your child’s chewing surfaces and about bottle tooth decay, which occurs when teeth are frequently exposed to sugared liquids.

To make your child’s first appointment with The Super Dentists and their team of professionals, call (619) DENTIST (336-8478) today!