If your child has developed a cavity, you might be wondering whether it’s really necessary to get a filling to repair the cavity. While these teeth will eventually fall out, it’s still important to fix the cavity in a timely manner. Children have their baby teeth for a long time — in most instances, it may take up to age 12 or 13 before all permanent teeth erupt. This means a cavity in a baby tooth can potentially impact your child’s oral health for many years.
There are several reasons why you should fix cavities in baby teeth:
- Untreated cavities can result in pain and sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
- Cavities in baby teeth can impact your child’s ability to chew, which can result in poor nutrition
- Baby teeth help create a proper pathway for your child’s permanent teeth to emerge correctly
- Baby teeth play an important role in helping children learn to form words and develop proper speech habits
- Damaged baby teeth can result in issues such as an overbite or an improper jaw structure
At Love Brushing Dentistry, we offer several options to repair a cavity in your child’s baby teeth. In most instances, these cavities can be repaired with dental fillings. However, in cases where the damage is more extensive, Dr. Khavari may recommend NuSmile crowns. These pediatric dental crowns are highly durable and will help your child maintain optimal levels of oral health.
You can also take several steps to reduce the likelihood that your children will develop a cavity, including:
- Limit their consumption of juice and other sugary beverages
- Always use water in bottles or sippy cups given to your children when they go to sleep
- Bring your children to the dentist for a checkup every 6 months once their first baby teeth start to emerge
- Teach your children how to brush properly at an early age
- Make sure your children don’t swallow toothpaste
If your child has a cavity on one or more baby teeth, Love Brushing Dentistry can help. Dr. Khavari has extensive experience providing children’s dentistry services, and she’ll make sure your child maintains optimal levels of oral health from a young age.
Please contact Love Brushing Dentistry using the form on this page or call 713-659-0841 today to schedule an appointment. We provide children’s dentistry services to patients in the Houston, Texas areas of Pasadena, Channelview, and Baytown.
