Milk teeth are also known as baby teeth or deciduous teeth are different from permanent teeth in many ways. In human, there are two set of teeth in their lifespan – one is milk teeth and other is permanent teeth. Milk teeth serves several purposes:
- Space-holders for Permanent teeth: Milk teeth serves as a guide or space maintainers for proper alignment and eruption of permanent teeth. If milk teeth are lost prematurely, there are high chances of malalignment of permanent teeth which requires extensive treatment such as braces to align the permanent teeth into their respective place.
- Chewing and Digestion: One of the important functions of milk teeth is that they aid in chewing, breaking the food into smaller particles which helps in easy digestion.
- Protection of Permanent teeth: Milk teeth forms a protective barrier under which the permanent teeth forms and erupts. In this way they protect the permanent teeth during their formative stages.
- Facilitating the speech: The baby teeth aids in proper development of speech in a child. The are certain sounds which develop easily after the teeth erupts.
- Support facial structure: Deciduous teeth also helps to develop the facial structures. They help to maintain proper spacing and alignment of jaw and the facial structures.
- Development of good oral habits: Caring for baby teeth inculcate the good oral habits in children. They learn to take care of their teeth and also know the importance of good oral hygiene.
- Easing the Transition: Gradual shedding of milk teeth and eruption of permanent teeth helps to ease the transition to a full set of adult teeth. This phase usually occurs between 6-12 years of age which is also known as mixed dentition.
Milk teeth are dispensable for proper development of permanent teeth. So, we must not overlook the importance of milk teeth thinking that anyways they are going to fall.
Get the regular checkup of your child with your pediatric dentist so as to avoid any dental issues at the earliest.