An unborn baby has a complete set of 20 milk teeth formed when it is in the mother’s womb. These teeth are in the gums and do not appear until the age of around 6 months. The buds of the secondary teeth are already developing under the primary teeth. These primary teeth develop from the nutrients taken from the mother’s body during the pregnancy. The mother does not need to go out of her way to eat anything special for this. There is no set age for the appearance of these teeth. The first teeth may appear anytime between the ages of three to nine months.

The first tooth to appear is the lower incisor and the last one is the second molar at the back of the upper jaw. The baby teeth or milk teeth remain with the child till the age of six. The baby teeth will start falling out at this age and will be replaced by the permanent ones. The child’s tooth development should be monitored and any discrepancies should be reported to your dentist immediately. This will save the child’s teeth from developing crooked. You will save a lot of money and pain later by not having to deal with bad teeth and braces.

Tooth decay is one of the leading causes of tooth loss. Tooth decay occurs when the bacteria present in our mouths builds up and produces harmful acid. This acid wears away the enamel coating on our teeth and creates a cavity. This cavity then gets infected and causes the painful effects we associate with tooth decay. The saliva in the mouth washes away most of the bacteria and neutralizes the acid. Brushing and flossing helps get rid of the bacteria that build up in the mouth overnight. Brushing your teeth lightly in the night before bed helps dislodge food particles that may remain in the mouth.

Bacteria attack the food that remains in our mouth and forms plaque. Plaque is the yellow substance that we see on our teeth. If not treated the plaque builds up and forms a forms a film over the surface of the teeth. This film reacts with the minerals in saliva to form a hard rough-textured substance called tartar. Tartar is rough textured and can only be removed with professional cleaning. Temperature extremes are also bad for the teeth. Temperature fluctuations in the range of 50 degrees Fahrenheit cause the enamel of the teeth to crack. Once permanent teeth are lost they do not grow back and replacing them is a painful and expensive process.