Humans are born with two sets of teeth – 20 baby teeth, also known as milk teeth, and 32 adult or permanent teeth – but why is this necessary? Put simply, to accommodate changes in the size and shape of the jaw.
If you have questions about [link id=’73’ text=’pediatric dentistry’] or the dental health of your children, call Burke family dentist Dr. Pamela Marzban at 703-323-8200 to schedule an appointment today.
As children are weaned, it becomes important that they be able to bite and chew their own food. However, in childhood and early adolescence, the jaw simply isn’t large enough to hold fully matured teeth. Baby teeth, therefore, allow children to eat while also acting as a placeholder for the larger and stronger teeth to come.
Is it important to care for baby teeth? Yes. Even though they are going to fall out, baby teeth should be cared for in the same way as adult teeth. Not only does this help children develop good oral health habits, it helps guard against tooth decay and other issues that can arise when teeth aren’t properly cleaned. Dr. Marzban would be happy to provide you with detailed instructions on cleaning children’s teeth during your next visit to our office.
To schedule your next family dentistry visit at our Burke, Virginia office, please [link id=’50003′ text=’contact Pamela Marzban, DDS’] today.
