As children grow, there are a great many things that we as parents wish we would have done better. However, don’t let their oral health be one of those lacking areas. As adults, we are aware of how critical our dental care is and why. Children don’t understand this concept and rely on us to teach and protect them. If a child’s dental care is left forgotten, many issues could arise. Here is some information on why dental care is so vital for children.
They Need Their Baby Teeth to Learn
Many people are assuming that baby teeth aren’t as important as adult teeth. This is because baby teeth are going to fall out and replaced with adult teeth. However, if a child’s baby teeth aren’t cared for properly, this could cause problems for the adult teeth coming in and for the development. Did you know a baby’s teeth are directly related to learning how to chew, proper nutrition, learning to talk, learning to swallow, and learning how to use their tongue? It’s crazy to think a child needs their teeth for all of that, but it’s true. A child needs their teeth to keep up with their body telling them they need more than milk. If the teeth aren’t there or they’re in bad shape, this could stunt cognitive growth in multiple areas. This could even lead to some significant health issues and cause issues for the rest of the child’s life.
They’re Made Fun of At School
If your child is at school age and has rotting or bad teeth, it’s already hard enough when a child loses a baby tooth. Kids at school can be tough to handle, and if your child has a long term issue with their teeth, they may end up being the target of this ridiculing. It truly is appalling that this is the case, but it’s the hard truth, and none of us want our kids to endure this.
It’s Often Long Term
Even though children have a chance to bounce back as they get older, there may still be lasting issues for the rest of a child’s life. Once an adult tooth is rotten, there’s no going back. Even though fillings and other fixes exist, having healthy, natural teeth is always the best option. The health of a child’s baby teeth can determine the beginning health of their adult teeth. This is because the adult teeth sit underneath the baby teeth and can begin to decay before they even appear above the gum.
Sometimes, it’s genuinely not the parents’ fault when a child ends up having issues pop up with their oral health. Sometimes it just happens despite the steps parents have taken to ensure it doesn’t. However, many times, it comes down to the parents and their habits bleeding over to the children. A child’s oral health is essential for so many reasons. Being a good example and teaching your children is the best way to ensure they have fantastic dental health for years to come.
