Why do we have baby teeth?

Oh great!  Another tooth is loose.  That statement has a different meaning under different circumstances.  When you are a kid it really is great because once the tooth finally wiggles its way out, you have something to leave for the tooth fairy.  Sometimes the fairy leaves money in exchange for the tooth. Cha-Ching! On the other hand when you aren’t a kid, losing a tooth could mean looking like a hockey player for a long while because that tooth isn’t growing back. There are dental procedures that can fill in those gaps, but we still have one question that gets left unanswered. Why do we have baby teeth?

One of the main reasons we have baby teeth is that our jaws and mouths are too small to accommodate a full set of adult teeth at birth. Just imagine a baby smiling with a full set of adult teeth. Terrifying! These baby teeth serve as placeholders for the adult teeth that will eventually grow in. The placeholders are needed to help children learn to speak properly. They help children develop the muscles needed for speech and communication. Without teeth, it would be impossible for children to form sounds like "th," "f," and "v." 

Not to be relegated to the position of seatholder, baby teeth also help guide adult teeth into the correct position. When they fall out, they leave behind a space that the big teeth can fill. If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, it can cause the surrounding teeth to shift, which can result in crooked or misaligned teeth. This can lead to a host of dental issues, including bite problems and difficulty chewing. And while we are on the topic of chewing, baby teeth also play a critical part in the child’s new digestive system. Chewing is the first step in the digestive process, and without teeth, children would be unable to properly break down their food.

Baby teeth do a lot for our growing and developing bodies. So it is important that we take care of them even if they aren’t going to be around forever.  And because your adult teeth are your last resort, you should make sure to brush your teeth and visit your dentist regularly. Losing a tooth as an adult could result in pain, speech problems, bone loss, but worst of all the tooth fairy doesn’t make house calls for adult chompers.

By Mark Smith