Dental Questions: Why are baby teeth so white?

February is the official National Children's Dental Health Month, as recognized by the ADA. Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry will be rolling out weekly topics relating to pediatric dentistry all month long. Make sure to check back regularly to catch all the great information. 

One of the most immediately noticeable features of baby teeth is the pearly white shade of their dental enamel. Many times, parents are surprised to find that their child's first adult teeth aren't nearly as bright as their predecessors. Has your child lost their Hollywood smile? Fear not, this is completely normal!

While baby teeth are made of the same enamel and dentin as adult teeth, the ratios and compositions are slightly different. The inner dentin layer of the tooth is generally more opaque than enamel and tends to pick up pigments from the foods we eat or drink. In the baby teeth, the ratio of enamel to dentin is considerably higher. Thus, the teeth appear more white and tend to develop less deep staining. On the flip-side, the overall thickness of dentin and enamel is much less in baby teeth. This means that cavities can reach the nerve much faster than the adult counterparts. 

Primary first molar versus adult first molar. Notice how the enamel is relatively thicker in the baby tooth, while the overall thickness of both layers is much less than the adult tooth. 

What if your child doesn't have perfectly white teeth? That's a tough question to answer without a complete dental exam, but it can be due to a number of reasons. Cavities, congenital defects in tooth structure and certain types of plaque and tartar can all stain baby teeth. Your best bet is to bring your child in for regular dental checkups. To schedule an appointment today, or to learn more about baby teeth and oral health, please give our office a call!

Dentistry and Children's Teeth

If you ever took a fall or had a cavity as a child, you're probably thankful that we get two sets of teeth. Our primary dentition can certainly seem like a second chance to recover from youthful mishaps. You may be wondering why, if adult teeth will eventually take their place, do we perform restorative dental procedures on kids teeth? Crowns, fillings and even braces may seem excessive when you could simply "extract and wait" for the adult teeth to come in. On the contrary, primary teeth serve a number of important roles in establishing a healthy adult dentitition. 

One of the most basic goals of primary teeth is to hold space for the permanent teeth. They create markers for where the adult teeth need to erupt and keep adjacent teeth from crowding into the open spaces. Once you lose a primary tooth, the teeth on either side can start to drift into its space, blocking the adult tooth from eruption. Many times, children who lose a primary tooth prematurely will receive a space maintainer- a cemented retainer that keeps two teeth from coming closer together.

Primary teeth also play an important role in the development of the jawbones. This is the guiding principle behind interceptive orthodontics, where braces and orthodontic appliances are placed on baby teeth. By ensuring these teeth are in ideal locations, an orthodontist can guide the development of the jaws and palate while lessening the need for future adjustment. 

Beyond the developmental importance of primary teeth, they are critical in psychological and social factors as well. Missing multiple anterior teeth can be embarrassing or humiliating, particularly when children are not at the appropriate age of tooth loss. Moreover, the posterior teeth are important in chewing and processing food. Without the ability to chew, we miss out on important nutrients in our diet. Molars allow us to break down food, increase surface area and ultimately facilitate healthy digestion. 

In short, the primary teeth are an incredibly important part of childhood development. With this in mind, dentists do all they can to maintain these teeth through their healthy lifespans. If you want to know more about childhood dentition, the importance of brushing and flossing or dental development, please give our office a call!