Importance of milk teeth

There are 2 sets of teeth in the lifetime of a human being- milk teeth (baby teeth) and permanent teeth. Milk teeth are 20 in number. They start erupting from 6-12 months of age. All the 20 milk teeth will be erupted when the baby is around 2.5-3 years of age.

Milk teeth not only help in proper chewing of foods, but they are also important for proper development of jaw bones of the face. They also guide the new permanent teeth into their correct positions in the mouth. If the milk teeth are lost prematurely, the permanent teeth will lose their guides and may come into the mouth haphazardly.

Early loss of baby teeth in the front region can affect the self-confidence of the child; also, they may develop habits like tongue-thrusting. Early loss of baby teeth at the back can lead to loss of space resulting in crowding or irregular arrangement of the permanent teeth in future.

Hence, it is very important to take adequate care of our milk teeth. God has given us 2 sets of teeth- each set has its own purpose and function. So please don’t ignore the hygiene and health of your child’s milk teeth thinking that they will anyway be replaced by permanent teeth in future. So, clean them, care for them and visit your child’s dentist regularly.