Visiting the dentist at an early age sets a positive foundation for a lifetime of dental visits, and helps you understand how to care for baby teeth and what to expect as your baby grows. These first visits not only help your child acclimate to a new environment and feel safe and comfortable, it's also building a relationship between your family and your pediatric dentist. When a dental emergency occurs, you and your child will know who to call and have the security of knowing your doctor.
Early visits to the dentist can also help you identify any problem areas, pathologies or future issues that you may not be aware of, and set the course for your child's dental health.
Why are baby teeth important?
Your child's baby (primary) teeth help them develop physically, mentally and emotionally.
Physically, your child's teeth help them chew, and provide placeholders as their permanent teeth grow and develop. If their primary teeth need to be extracted (pulled) before they are ready, it could indicate problems as they grow and when their permanent teeth are ready to erupt.
Your child's teeth also assist their mental development. As children learn to form sounds, speak and communicate, their tongue, lips, cheeks and teeth are all part of sounding words correctly and learning to express their thoughts. Well-functioning teeth also help a child's concentration; if they are in pain from a diseased tooth, research shows they perform poorly in school and can also develop other negative behaviors as a result of their discomfort.
We all appreciate a beautiful smile, and children are no different. Emotionally, children can struggle if they have noticeably diseased and decayed teeth. Children are less likely to fully smile, and they can develop habits that follow them for a lifetime.