Why are the primary teeth important?

When your baby is born, all of her primary teeth are present in her jaw and begin to erupt around the age of six months to a year. By the time she is three, she will have a full set of primary (or baby) teeth. While every child develops at a different rate and in different ways, most often the first teeth to erupt will be the very front teeth on the top and bottom of her mouth. When this occurs, it’s important to take her for her first pediatric dental visit. Dr. Yury Slepak, an American Board Certified Pediatric dentist with Brooklyn Pediatric Dentistry, will examine your child’s mouth to make sure everything is developing as it should be.


Why are primary teeth so important? Primary teeth help your child transition to solid food. They hold the shape of the mouth for the permanent teeth and keep a space for their eventual eruption, and they also help your child as she learns to speak.


Even though your child will eventually lose her baby teeth, beginning good oral hygiene, teaching her to brush and floss, and taking her for regular dental check-ups will lessen her anxiety if she needs more serious care in the future, such as fillings or dental injury repairs.


As with all childhood lessons, learning how to properly care for your child’s teeth will provide her with the foundation she needs to maintain her oral health for the rest of her life.