Primary “Baby” Teeth Development
Primary teeth development begins early in pregnancy (6 weeks in-utero), so good maternal prenatal care is important since the mother’s nutrition, general health, medications and oral health can affect tooth development.
At birth, the infant has deep in its jaws all the primary teeth and some of the partially formed permanent teeth.
Functions of primary baby teeth:
- help a child to learn how to speak properly
- help to build a child’s self-esteem (appearance)
- guide jaw growth and maintain the space for the permanent teeth
- important for feeding and nutrition (biting and chewing)
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