Should I be concerned about baby teeth ?

Many parents are under the false impression that baby teeth are less important because they will eventually be replaced. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Baby teeth serve several important functions and their good care is crucial.

Among other things, healthy baby teeth:

• Are crucial in helping babies learn how to speak properly.
• Are important in building self-confidence and self-esteem. This is especially important at such an early age. Small children can be cruel to one another, quick to tease peers about ugly looking or decayed teeth. Furthermore, bad breath, which often occurs as a result of poor dental hygiene, can make your child an outcast among peers.
• Serve as spacers which maintain the proper spacing and alignment of the teeth so that permanent teeth have enough room to come in.