Building Healthy Smiles for Life: The Importance of Early Dental Care

Baby with two front teeth erupting from their gums.

A Parent’s Guide from Burnewood Dental Clinic

February is Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month, and if you’re a parent here in Edmonton or anywhere else, now is the perfect time to consider how early childhood dental care affects their overall health and future.

At Burnewood Dental Clinic in Mill Woods, our team sees first-hand how early dental care impacts your child’s teeth as well as their speech, jaw growth, confidence, and potential orthodontic needs.

However, many parents believe baby teeth aren’t important because “they’re going to fall out anyway.” The reality is, those baby teeth lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Baby Teeth; Why They Matter More Than You Think

Baby or primary teeth are temporary and need protection as they play an important role in your child’s growth and development. Here’s how:

• Hold space for permanent (adult) teeth

• Guide proper jaw development

• Support clear speech

• Help children chew properly, critical for early nutrition

• Influence facial structure

If your child develops cavities and loses their baby teeth too early, the surrounding teeth often shift into the space left behind and cause their adult teeth to crowd upon eruption. This causes overcrowding and often leads to future orthodontic treatment. Booking your child’s first dental exam early can help identify possible spacing issues early!

According to the Canadian Dental Association, early dental care significantly reduces the risk of preventable decay and developmental complications.

Cavities in Children; The Most Common Chronic Childhood Condition

The CDC estimates that over 50% of children have their first cavity between ages 6 and 9. Parents are often surprised to learn that tooth decay is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions and how untreated decay can affect school performance, nutrition, and overall well-conditions.

Most early cavities don’t have any symptoms, such as pain. Since most children don’t complain about a cavity until it hurts, by this time, the decay may already be advanced. And primary teeth are usually smaller and the enamel is less resilient than permanent teeth, so the decay can progress more quickly!

This is why routine checkups matter.

A group of kindergarten children smiling for the camera.

Early Childhood Dental Care; How it Affects Oral Development

As your child grows, their mouth is constantly changing.

Between ages 0–12, as dental professionals, we monitor:

• Jaw growth patterns

• Bite alignment

• Spacing between teeth

• Early crowding

• Airway considerations

The gaps between baby teeth are healthy—it allows room for their adult teeth.

When early decay leads to premature tooth loss, your child’s natural spacing system is disrupted, affecting their adult teeth.

Without regular monitoring, the above issue can go unnoticed until adolescence—and then treatment becomes more complex.

When Should My Child’s Permanent Teeth Come In?

Your child’s permanent teeth start coming in at about ages 5-7. Here’s a list of which teeth come in when:

• First molars, and central incisors: ages 5-8

• Lateral incisors (upper and lower): ages 7-9

• First bicuspid/premolars: ages 10-12

• Canines: ages 9-12

• Second bicuspid/premolars: ages 10-12

• Second molars: ages 11-13

• Third molars (wisdom teeth): ages 17-21

It is worth noting that upper teeth tend to come in slightly later than lower teeth. And if your child falls outside of these age ranges, typically it’s not concerning, but it’s always worth visiting your dentist to confirm the presence of adult teeth. The most commonly missing adult teeth are the upper lateral incisors, lower and upper second premolars, and wisdom teeth. If this is caught early, plans can be made to properly handle the space loss.

Young girl in dental exam chair smiling for the dentist.

Why Visiting Your Dentist Every 6 Months Matters

Children’s teeth change quickly and dental visits every six months allow us to:

• Catch cavities early

• Apply fluoride treatments

• Monitor tooth eruption patterns

• Evaluate bite development

• Reinforce oral hygiene habits

Cavities can grow quickly, and waiting one year between visits can allow a small cavity to grow significantly. And as we saw in the previous section, permanent teeth can start coming in at the age of 5 - so it’s very important to start taking care of those as well!

Think of regular dental visits as prevention and not reaction.

Parents teaching their children how to properly brush their teeth.

Avoiding the Daily Battle; Teaching Kids How to Take Care of Their Teeth

Healthy teeth start at home with you and your own dental health habits. Children mimic parental behavior. Start by setting the example. Let them watch you brush and floss. Or even turn it into a daily family event. Other ways to teach your kids about maintaining their oral health include:

1. Start Them Early

   1. Wipe their gums after every feeding before their teeth erupt. Introduce a toothbrush as soon as their first tooth appears. Flossing should start once the spaces in between teeth tighten up. Don’t forget to use child friendly flossers as children often lack the skills to use regular floss.

2. Use the Right Amount of Toothpaste

   1. Children don’t need a lot of toothpaste. Here is the rule of thumb:

   2. Under 3: rice-sized smear

   3. 3+: pea-sized amount

3. Make It Fun

   1. Like everyone, children like to have fun. So make toothbrushing time fun. Here’s how:

   2. Set a two-minute timer

   3. Sing their favorite song

   4. Create an award chart

   5. Let them pick their own toothbrush

4. Supervise Until Around Age 8

   1. Children lack the dexterity to brush effectively on their own until about eight years old

Early Orthodontic Monitoring & Invisalign

Around age 7, orthodontic evaluations become important. No, this doesn’t mean your child immediately needs braces. However, it allows us to track their development.

Here is what we look for:

• Crossbites

• Overbites

• Underbites

• Crowding

• Spacing issues

Routine and regular dental exams often reduce the severity of potential orthodontic needs.

School girl smiling as she eat her teeth healthy lunch.

Preventing Cavities; Nutrition’s Role

Children are little snacking machines. Often, they’re not home to brush their teeth after a snack. This leads to increased acid exposure. When brushing isn’t readily available, try the following tips:

• Offer water instead of  juice

• Give crunchy vegetables, such as carrots and celery

• Offer cheese as a snack

• Avoid putting babies to bed with a bottle

• If they have a sugary snack before bed, be sure to rinse with water and brush afterwards!

The Canadian Paediatric Society states that early dietary habits strongly influence long-term oral health.

Looking Ahead; Wisdom Teeth

While it may seem early to think about wisdom teeth—but their development begins in your child's early years. Monitoring jaw growth through routine dental visits allows us to anticipate potential issues regarding their wisdom teeth, such as::

• Impaction

• Crowding

• Infection

Regular dental check-ups help to prevent future emergency situations.

The Emotional Impact of Early Dental Care; Building Healthy Smiles for Life

Healthy smiles affect confidence and children who feel good about their teeth:

• Smile more freely

• Speak confidently

• Engage socially

Early prevention helps to avoid decay and more invasive treatments later.

Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month; The Perfect Time For a Reminder

February is a great time to start building healthy smiles for life, resetting routines and scheduling check-ups.

If it’s been more than six months, a preventative dental check-up now can avoid treatment later.

For families here in the  Mill Woods area and surrounding Edmonton communities, early dental care is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your child’s health. Don’t wait for an emergency before booking an exam. Prevent one now, book now.