My 4-7 year-old still has their baby teeth and their permanent teeth are growing in behind or in front of them, what should I do?
Well, it is important to take action and recognize what is happening!
There are 2 possible scenarios:
- The two bottom front teeth are usually the first teeth to fall out. Once the child has lost those teeth, some time down the road or maybe even quite quickly, the permanent teeth will start to grow in their place. If it happens that the baby teeth are still in the mouth and the permanent teeth are growing in behind them, get your child to try their best to remove those baby teeth. Keep on wiggling the tooth or get them to eat an apple to get those baby teeth out so the tooth fairy can come and visit tonight. In some cases, the baby tooth can become wedged at a difficult angle and it is very difficult to remove the teeth at home. If after a couple of weeks, you and your child are unable to get those baby teeth out, make an appointment to see your dentist and they will be able to help you.
- The top teeth are a very different story. If you see your child’s permanent teeth growing in front or behind the baby teeth, visit the Dentist IMMEDIATELY!! Having the permanent teeth not following in the right path will cause a few problems down the road. So, early intervention by removing the upper baby teeth when you see the permanent teeth coming in is very important.
For the most part, baby tooth loss and permanent tooth eruption is very natural and normal. Like life though, there are always a few situations that fall outside the realm of normal for no apparent reason; It just happens. This is ok too. That is why we have our dentist to help us achieve the perfect smile.
Early intervention is always good, but remember that these situations can be fixed in the teenage years or even as an adult. So, it’s never too late to get the smile that fits you!
Braeside Dental Centre
