Why are baby teeth important?
Baby teeth, also known as temporary teeth or deciduous teeth, play a crucial role in children’s oral health. These teeth usually appear between a child’s sixth month and three years of age.
Why are temporary teeth important for adults too?
However, temporary teeth are important not only for children but also for adults. Here are some reasons why baby teeth are important for adults too:
Proper Jaw Development
Maintaining oral health
Healthy teeth enable effective food intake and support correct pronunciation.
When baby teeth become affected by tooth decay or other problems, it can have long-term effects on the health of permanent teeth and mouth.
Basis for permanent teeth
Differences between root teeth and milk teeth
Function
- Baby teeth are primarily used to chew food and support correct pronunciation. Since they fail after a certain period of time, they fulfill a temporary function.
- Root teeth are very important for chewing food, pronunciation and general health. Unlike milk teeth, they accompany people throughout their lives.
Number
- Children typically have 20 baby teeth, which develop gradually throughout childhood and are replaced by permanent teeth in adulthood.
- Adults typically have 32 permanent teeth, which include wisdom teeth. These permanent teeth are permanent and remain for life.
Age of development
- Baby teeth typically erupt between a child’s sixth month and three years of age. Teeth fall out around the age of 6 to 7 years.
- The development of root teeth usually begins from the age of six or seven. These individual teeth usually remain for the rest of a person’s life.
Composition and size
- Baby teeth are smaller and have thinner layers of enamel than permanent teeth. This makes them more susceptible to tooth decay. The roots of baby teeth (baby tooth roots) are also much smaller.
- Adult teeth are larger and more resilient. They have thicker layers of tooth enamel, which protects them better against tooth decay and other dental diseases.
Conclusion - Root Teeth and Milk Teeth
Caring for baby teeth and paying attention to developing root teeth is critical to your child’s long-term oral health.
Start proper care early, visit the pediatric dentist regularly, and encourage a balanced diet. These are the keys to a bright smile and a healthy future for the upper and lower jaw.
Ask our dental clinic in Turkey for support!