Common Questions

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7 . Why are baby teeth so important? Baby teeth enable children to chew naturally and aid in speech development. Baby teeth also maintain space for the adult teeth.

8 . My child fell and knocked out a permanent tooth- what do I do? Remain calm and find the tooth. Don't hold the tooth by the root. Try to reinsert the tooth in the socket. If you are unable to do so, place the tooth in milk and call Dr. Ellsworth immediately.

9 . My child bit their lip/tongue/cheek while they were numb. What do I do? It is very important to watch your child for about 2 hours after the dental visit to ensure that they do not bite their mouth. If they do bite the lip/tongue/cheek you may apply a cold compress and administer over the counter pain medications as needed. The area will usually heal within 7-10 days.

10 . When will my child lose his/her baby teeth? Children will begin losing their teeth at approximately age 5. They will usually lose their front teeth first. Children will continue to lose baby teeth until the age of 12 or 13 when all of the permanent teeth finally erupt.

11 . When does thumb-sucking become damaging to the teeth? Generally, if the child has stopped sucking his/her thumb by age 5 there is no permanent damage. If the child is a vigorous and constant thumbsucker, however, there can be moderate to severe movement of teeth and prevention of normal bone growth.

12 . Should my child wear a mouthguard while playing sports? It is strongly recommended that children wear a mouthguard while playing any contact sport. It is always better to prevent an injury than to repair one. The earlier a child begins to wear the mouthguard, the easier it is to become comfortable and continue to wear it as they get older.

Dr. Kathleen M. Ellsworth, DDS
has been recognized as one of the top Saranac Dentistry practices.
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