We need to keep our oral health in check. It is of utmost importance. We should be taking care of our teeth no matter at what stage. Be it our baby teeth, milk teeth or even the primary set of  teeth. At any point in life, our dental care matters.  It is of utmost importance that we ensure that our teeth are kept in optimal health. This includes our set of deciduous teeth.

In this article I am going to be talking to you in detail on what are these types of teeth- and why are they important to our oral health.

The deciduous teeth is actually the official name of the teeth that come in our early years These are the set of teeth which are actually developing in the embryonic stage. This means they will start to appear as soon as you cross 6 months of age.

Let’s talk in detail about this type of set of teeth and how are they falling into our framework of oral health.

So let’s begin:

What Are Deciduous Teeth?

the first set of teeth in your mouth

When we are talking about deciduous teeth, you should know that there are basically 20 primary teeth- this means there are 10 upper and 10 lower of these. These teeth will start to appear as early as 6 months of age.

And the full set will be visible when you are 2.5 years of age. But this time period is not same for all children. In fact for some children the teeth may appear later. So how do they start appearing?

Timeline of Baby’s Teeth

Interestingly the first tooth in your baby’s mouth will begin to show is in the central incisor- that is right in the middle. It is what we call the front tooth and it usually appears on the lower jaw.

After that, the second tooth will be visible as it is coming and showing on right side of the first tooth. After which you will notice that the next four teeth will be coming are the four upper incisors. They will show and come out about two months after the same tooth and in the lower jaw.

The last teeth which usually appear are the second set of molars and these are the last ones to appear in your 20 deciduous teeth set. And they are the ones which will usually appear by the age of 2.5 years.

But remember every child is different so their set of teeth coming out are also according to different timeframes. You should not worry why your child’s teeth are appearing slower as compared to someone else.

Let’s move on to understand when will the permanent set of teeth appear:

When Will My Permanent Teeth Show?

when will my baby teeth will fall out?

Know that your child’s 20 baby teeth are for a temporary time period only. They will soon enough be replaced by the permanent set of teeth. These usually fall in the number of 32 teeth.

You will notice how your child will begin to lose the deciduous teeth when they fall in the age range of 6 years.

This means your child’s milk teeth will soon begin to fall out. And the first ones to go are usually the central incisors.

It is at the age of 12 actually when you will be seeing that the whole set of deciduous teeth are completely gone. The last ones to go are the cuspid and what we call the second molars.

So now that you have a good understanding on how do the baby teeth appear and when they go for the permanent tooth to come in. Let’s hit on the major difference between both:

Difference Between Deciduous & Adult Teeth

The major difference you will be noticing between both is that they do not just look different but their internal structure are also different from one another. Let’s see how:

Enamel– this is basically the outer most structure of your teeth. It is what helps to keep tooth decay minimal. The enamel on milk or primary teeth is actually quite thinner as compared to adult teeth.

Color- you will notice that the deciduous teeth are actually whiter in color. This is mainly because they have enamel which is thinner.

Size- as it turns out, the primary teeth are actually smaller in size as compared to the permanent teeth.

Shape-it is interesting how the shape of the teeth also differs. Front permanent teeth are actually those that come with bumps. But these bumps will soon wear off with time.

Roots- did you know that the roots of baby teeth are actually quite shorter and thinner. This is because these set of teeth will eventually be falling out anyway.

Now I want to touch upon an important topic. Why do these teeth even matter if they will eventually fall out? Continue reading:

Importance of Caring for Deciduous Teeth

So here’s the thing- you need to make sure your baby teeth are well-taken care of. Mainly because they play a vital role in your oral well-being. You need good and strong baby teeth as they:

  • Allow for the proper reservation of spaces needed for your permanent teeth. You need to ensure you have solid spacing where the permanent set of teeth will be taking place.
  • When you have baby teeth in your mouth, they form the proper and normal face appearance. If you didn’t get this temporary set of teeth, your face’s structure will not look stable and normal.
  • Also you need to ensure you are having a good set of teeth early on in your life as this is needed for a clear speech pattern.
  • The teeth also play an essential role in helping you to attain good nutrition. This means if you have proper teeth, you will be able to chew teeth properly and it also helps in controlling the damage that it will otherwise cause your teeth.
  • It is important to determine that for a healthy start to your permanent teeth you have to keep your deciduous teeth in a good health. Otherwise your teeth will be highly impacted.

It is best that you keep your dental visits in check to ensure that your health is in optimal condition. This helps for your dentist to determine if there are any problems and ensure that the proper care is in order to avoid any complications.

Getting the Regular Dental Visits

The early dental visits are not very long or complicated. These are usually short and you would need quick checkups and treatment for the same. It is where your child will meet the dentist and understand how important it is to meet him.

It all comes down to how comfortable a relation your dentist is committed to making with you. Some of the general things which your dentist checks up on are the health and condition of your gums, the jaw as well as the oral tissues.

Aside from this, your dentist will also try to determine whether you need any fluoride to help make your teeth stronger.

Let’s now make a checklist of things which are looked into and talked about in your oral health visits:

  • Oral habits check like thumb sucking, lip sucking and tongue thrusting.
  • Teething issues and concerns to combat
  • Lack of proper nutrition and suggestions to overcome health concerns
  • Dental checkups

Make sure you are keeping a good check on your child’s health and dental hygiene to ensure that the milk teeth are falling in optimal condition.

I want to now talk about what makes up for ensuring your child’s deciduous teeth are in good and optimal health while focusing on your nutritional makeup.

Nutrition and Deciduous Teeth

What your child is going to eat is going to impact your teeth’s health. Make sure you consume healthy nutrients and avoid the unhealthy kind. This means you should keep a strong control on consuming carbohydrates, sugar from cakes, cookies, milk and other food items.

It is best that you keep a chart of food items you should be consuming and the ones you should avoid. This will include:

  • Fruits and vegetables- they are of good carbohydrates and are considered a healthy snack
  • Cheese of different kinds is healthy choice. This includes cheddar and swiss.
  • You should not let your children consume sticky and chewy foods like raisin and granola bars.
  • Try to get in the habit of purchasing sugar-free food types.
  • Also try avoiding putting your child to bed with a bottle in the mouth.
  • It is best if you instill in your children the habit of drinking water instead of sugary drinks.

All these simple tips will help to keep your child’s deciduous teeth in complete care.

Conclusion

the onset of permanent teeth

Your child’s deciduous teeth are very important. You need to adapt healthy ways and tactics to ensure they are well-taken care of even when they eventually be falling out. In this article, I shared and talked in detail on what are these temporary teeth. When do the permanent teeth come in and how can you adapt simple ways to ensure your teeth are in optimal care so that there are no problems when the permanent set kicks in.