Treating Baby Teeth

Baby teeth can get cavities just the same as adult teeth can. Good oral hygiene and regular dental visits are the best prevention against cavities. We recommend that parents begin brushing their child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth erupts, usually around 6 months. Flossing is recommended when it is seen that any two teeth are touching. We recommend that parents help to brush their child’s teeth at least until the age of 6 or 7.

“Why should a cavity on a baby tooth be treated if it is just going to fall out later?” 

If a baby tooth has a cavity but is expected to fall out within the a few months, the tooth most likely will not need treatment, unless an infection is present, then removal of the tooth will be recommended. However, many baby teeth, especially baby molars will not be lost until age 12! (See tooth eruption chart to the right)

When a baby tooth has a cavity and is not expected to be lost soon, proper  treatment is necessary for a few reasons:

    1. The cavity can spread and lead to other cavities in the mouth, including future cavities on adult teeth.
    2. An untreated cavity will become larger and can cause:
      • pain and breaking of the tooth. If this occurs, chewing and nutrition can be affected.
      • an infection or abscess. In addition to being a painful, an abscess in baby teeth can spread to the underlying adult teeth. This can cause discolorations or malformations in the adult teeth or even stop their development completely. Like any infection, dental abscesses can also be life threatening.

“How do you treat baby teeth?”

Baby teeth with cavities are often treated with basic fillings. Many parents also ask: “Why place a filling on a baby tooth? Why not just pull it?” Baby teeth are maintaining the space for the future adult tooth. Removing them too early can result in shifting of the remaining teeth and future crowding of the adult teeth. So, it is best to keep and restore the baby tooth when possible. However, if an abscess has already occurred, then removal of the baby tooth is indicated. To help prevent future crowding a space maintainer may be recommended for baby molar teeth.