Welcome to The Tooth Fairy

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The Milk Tooth - the VIP

Tooth decay in children is neglected because of the misconception that milk teeth are not important since "they are going to fall out anyway."

The 20 primary teeth are designed to function during the childhood years. Some of them until the child is 10 or 12 years old - and they have several important jobs to do. Primary teeth are foundation teeth. They are in fact as important as the permanent teeth for the following reasons:

	The baby teeth help in chewing and digestion - physical and partial chemical digestion before the food is chemically digested by the gastric juices.
	The baby teeth are necessary for speech development e.g. the words th, f, and lisping sounds require front teeth to pronounce.
	Building the Childs confidence. The baby teeth help in appearance or aesthetics. Without the front teeth, peers, leading to reluctance to smile, mix with others and make new friends, could tease the child.
	Probably the most important function of the baby teeth is to maintain sufficient space for the adult (permanent) teeth to erupt into the correct position. The first adult tooth (first molar teeth) starts developing when the fetus is 7-8 months in utero (in the mother's womb) and will continue to develop as the child grows. It finally erupts in the mouth from the age of 6. The primary teeth are therefore very necessary in guiding these adult teeth into the correct straight position.

Tooth Tour

The Tooth Tour

Let's take a look at a tooth - the part that can be seen in the mouth, is the crown and the part not seen and buried in the bony socket of the jaw firmly enclosed is the root.

The crown of the tooth is covered with the enamel, one of the hardest natural substances known.

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Dentin, which lies just under enamel forms, the bulk of the tooth. It is yellowish and is not as hard as enamel.

Pulp is the soft tissue that fills the chamber of the center of the tooth and the canals that extends down the roots of the tooth. It contains nerves and blood vessels. Cementum - a thin bone like tissue covers and protects the tooth root.

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There are twenty teeth, which can be seen, in a baby's mouth

	8 incisors
	4 canines
	8 molars; they are called as milk teeth or more scientifically deciduous teeth.

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Specialization

The Pediatric Dentist's specialization allows them to provide the most up-to-date thorough treatment for a wide variety of children's dental problems. They are also trained and qualified to care for patients with medical, physical, or mental disabilities. This is particularly helpful for children who are experiencing anxiety about visiting the dentist.

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