It is a naive assumption to think that your young children, including infants, will not get cavities. Young kids and those starting to attend school do have temporary teeth which will fall out at some reasonable time, yet tooth decay in baby teeth still need to be caught in checkups and repaired. The reality is that the most common teeth health problem for children of an infant and younger age is cavities.

Even for baby teeth, the first emerging teeth (called temporary teeth) coming in around six and ten month of age, there is the opportunity for cavities to develop. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both temporary and permanent teeth are dental decay issues for one out of five children from five to eleven years old.

Getting your baby’s teeth examined is, of course, vitally important. And if cavities show up and your dentist is recommending filling them even if the teeth are temporary, then you should follow that advice. Baby teeth serve as space holders for the permanent teeth lying underneath in the gums to emerge when the baby teeth fall out. Tooth decay in baby teeth can cause problems for the soon-to-emerge permanent teeth, bring on discomfort, and cause the temporary teeth to fall out before they should—a serious matter that can trigger future orthodontic challenges.

Our children’s dentistry practice includes many years of providing cavity filling care to infants and young children. Our approach is very caring and gentle, using the best bedside manner to get them to relax as much as possible, gently applying a numbing gel so no pain or discomfort is felt, then quickly doing the cavity clearing and filling work.