When your child’s tooth is not shedding safely, it can be an alarming sign. These teeth should be replaced by the age of 12. However, if the baby tooth does not get replaced, you must contact a pediatric dentist.
TL;DR: Dealing with stubborn baby teeth
- The teething process begins at around 6 to 7 months.
- Milk teeth begin to shed at 6 and may completely shed by the age of 12.
- If you do not contact a dentist at the right time, there can be several issues.
- Delayed shedding may be normal if the tooth is loose and there is no damage.
Parents truly enjoy the Tooth Fairy’s visit right in the beginning. They truly encourage their children and motivate them when they have a toothless smile. However, when baby teeth do not fall out on their own, this can get a little messy. This is quite common among children. But how long should you wait before contacting your pediatric dentist North Kansas City? What should be the process and timeline? Let’s dig into the details.
The natural timeline of baby teeth
Everyone has the primary or the baby teeth and the adult teeth. The process begins around 6 or 7 months. Babies have a complete set of 20 milk teeth around the age of 3. These teeth are crucial for chewing and speech in the early years. The tooth-shedding process begins at 6 to 7 years. When the milk teeth are consistently shedding while permanent teeth are also erupting, there is a special time period from around 6 to 7 years. However, this timeline may not be similar for everyone. There can be some delays. However, if the teeth get damaged or there are unnecessary delays, contact a pediatric dentist North Kansas City immediately.
Why the delays can be harmful
When your child has a stubborn baby tooth, you may want to wait until it drops. However, it can result in further dental issues. So, let’s discuss what can happen.
- Eruption issues:
When baby teeth do not fall out on time, permanent teeth may not erupt into the correct position. This can impact your child’s smile in the future.
- Crowding:
Eruption issues can also result in crowding. When teeth become misaligned, they may face cleaning problems. They may also require treatments in the future.
- Impacted permanent teeth:
What happens when the permanent teeth get stuck? In the worst-case scenario, the permanent teeth may not erupt. This can cause major issues in the future.
- Decay risks:
When teeth are not aligned properly, the risks of decay can increase. You may notice several cavities in baby or permanent teeth.
Identifying if delayed shedding is normal or not
When a baby tooth is a little loose but causes no pain, it is likely normal. If the shedding age for the tooth has not passed, it may not be a red flag. If the tooth feels firm even when the permanent tooth is visible, you may require assistance from a pediatric dentist. If the baby tooth is discolored or chipped, this may also be a major sign.
If you want to work with a pediatric dentist North Kansas City, you must contact Little Chompers Pediatric Dentistry.
Get in touch with us to learn more!