- Aid in digesting food - Healthy teeth help in the normal development of jaw bones and facial muscles that allow children to chew their food. Without these, your child would have difficulty in chewing their food and which could lead to digestive problems and malnutrition.
- Serve as space maintainers - Primary teeth hold space in the jaws for permanent teeth that are growing under the gums. Kids with missing primary teeth, or infants who prematurely lose primary teeth may require a space maintainer, a device used to hold the natural space open. Without a maintainer, the teeth can tilt towards the empty space and cause permanent teeth to come in crooked. This can lead to an awkward smile and an improper bite.
- Help in speech development - Your child's teeth aid in forming words and speak clearly and quickly. Loosing them too early may affect the kid's speech pattern and also his self-image. By the time this gets rectified, with the development of permanent teeth, the kid is already 7-9 years of age and this could affect his self-image and confidence.
- Caring for your baby's teeth - If you want to know how to clean teeth, you must remember that brushing should have a strict routine in your child's life, right from the start. When your baby has no teeth, you must still clean his gums with a soft wash cloth. Use a gauge to clean the first tooth that appears. Floss as soon as two teeth appear side by side. Use a soft toothbrush to brush your baby's teeth when more appear.