Feb 2010 - Michigan South Asian

Page 3 February2010 Michigan South AsianDENTAL CARE FOR YOUR CHILDApril 2010 ISSUEBy Dr. Anil Gudapati, D.M.D.Why should we worry aboutbaby teeth when they are goingto fall out and be replaced byadult teeth?This is a question I am askedmany times in my office. It isvery im¬portant to maintainthe health of the baby teeth alsoknown as primary teeth. Neglectedcav¬ities can and frequentlylead to problems whichaffect developing adult teeth,also known as per¬manentteeth.Primary teeth or baby teeth areimportant for:(1) proper chewing and eating,(2) providing space for theperma¬nent teeth and guidingthem into the correct position,and(3) permitting normaldevelop¬ment of the jaw bonesand mus¬cles. Primary teethalso affect the development ofspeech and add to an attractiveappearance.While the front 4 teeth last until6-7 years of age, the back teeth(cuspids and molars) aren’t replaceduntil age 10-13. Cavitiesleft untreated will almost alwayscause pain and/or infection priorto the teeth falling out naturally.This can lead to disturbancesin your child’s sleep, activity,eating, drinking, and school attendance.If left untreated longenough, in¬fections can permanentlydamage the adult teethand spread to other parts of thebody.The Center for Disease Controland Prevention reports thatcavi¬ties are perhaps the mostpreva¬lent of infectious diseasesin our nation’s children.More than 40% of children havecavities by the time they reachKindergarten. The bacteria inour mouth breaks down sugarin the food we eat causing thetooth to break down, and overtime could eventu¬ally lead toa cav¬ity. Cavi¬ties can start atanytime once there is a tooth inthe mouth. The first tooth willappear in your child’s moutharound 6 months of age and allthe baby teeth, 20 teeth total,will erupt into the mouth around2 – 2 ½ years of age.This is why having your child’sfirst dental check up at 12months of age is very important.At your child’s first dentalvisit, the dentist should discusswith you proper oral hygiene,diet, proper use of fluoride andany oral habits your child mayhave. X-rays may be needed aswell if the dentist feels they arenecessary, along with topi¬calapplication of fluoride.Starting children off with gooddental habits now will(Continuation on Page 5)REAL ESTATESpecialAD Opportunity For:REAL ESTATE AGENTS& ProfesionalsWe welcome articles.info@michigansouthasian.comMarch 2010 ISSUEHEALTH SpecialAD Opportunity For:DOCTORS / DENTISTSHEALTH professionalsWe welcome articles.info@michigansouthasian.com