Taking care of your child’s pearly whites is important, particularly as his temporary baby teeth give way to his permanent ones. As a parent, you likely take great care to ensure that your child brushes and maintains his smile. If your child loses a tooth prematurely, your response can determine whether this tooth can be placed back.
Primary vs. Permanent Teeth
While losing a tooth ahead of schedule is less than ideal, the degree to which the premature tooth loss really depends, in part, upon whether the tooth is primary or permanent. Primary teeth, or baby teeth, are temporary. While the loss of one of these teeth still makes a difference, it is not as big a deal as the loss of a permanent tooth, for which no replacement will grow.
Importance of Primary Teeth
Many parents assume that losing a primary tooth prematurely is of no importance. Although losing a tooth of this type isn’t as significant as the loss of a permanent tooth, it still makes a difference, reports Science Daily. Among other things, baby teeth serve as place holders within a child’s mouth, keeping his teeth in line so that new teeth will come in straight. This means that the premature loss of a primary tooth could impact the overall straightness of your child’s smile.
Prevalence of Loss Due to Trauma
The primary causes of premature tooth loss in children due to trauma, according to UCLA. As would come as no surprise to parents of boys, male children were statistically more likely to lose teeth prematurely due to trauma. Nearly 60 percent of all children who lost teeth due to trauma were male.
Response to Traumatic Loss
If your child loses a tooth due to trauma, you may be able to save it, reports Science Daily. By placing the tooth in milk, and immediately taking your child to the dentist or an urgent care center, you can greatly increase the chances that the tooth can be put back into place.
Preventing Premature Loss
While nowhere near as common as traumatic loss, children can also lose teeth due to poor oral hygiene. While traumatic loss is not often preventable, hygiene-related loss is. To ensure that your child’s teeth stay in place, educate your child on the basics of oral hygiene. Monitor his hygiene habits to ensure that he is properly tending to his teeth.
