Is your child suffering from tooth decay in one or more teeth? And are you wondering if decayed primary teeth should be extracted? Follow us in this article as we explain the reasons that might lead a dentist to choose primary tooth extraction as a medical solution, and whether it can affect your child's permanent teeth or not.
What are primary teeth?
Primary teeth are teeth that fully develop in children by the age of three and remain for a short period of time before they begin to fall out and are replaced by permanent ones.
Causes of primary tooth decay
The main reason for tooth decay in children is the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth, either due to consuming food, the remnants of which are left in the mouth, or due to neglecting oral hygiene.
Especially since bacteria cause the accumulation of plaque, which leads to an increase in acids that ultimately cause decay. This is due to a number of negative habits:
- Consuming large quantities of sugary foods.
- Eating food, especially before going to sleep.
- Neglecting oral hygiene and brushing.
- Following unhealthy diets rich in sugars and soda.
- Not visiting the dentist regularly for dental check-ups.
Learn more about Reasons for extracting children's teeth
Should decayed primary teeth be extracted?
Dentists generally do not resort to extracting primary teeth due to their great importance. They are no less important than permanent teeth at this stage of life, especially since early extraction of primary teeth may affect the development of the biting process.
Moreover, extracting more than one of these primary teeth may affect the shape and alignment of the teeth, as their extraction may lead to teeth erupting in incorrect positions and shifting from their place.
Primary teeth also play an important role in speech, and their absence may affect the pronunciation of letters and the way the child speaks.
However, there are reasons that may lead the dentist to perform an extraction, which we will present to you below:
Why are primary teeth extracted?
Extraction is the dentist's decision when there is no other alternative, especially if the decayed tooth may be:
- A dead or internally infected tooth, meaning the tooth may pose a risk to the child's health.
- When the tooth does not erupt naturally.
- Complete damage to the tooth where the damage cannot be repaired or any other methods used to treat the problem.
- Absorption of more than half of the tooth root.
- Absorption of tooth roots within the nerve canal.
- Vertical weakness of tooth roots.
- Absorption of more than two-thirds of the tooth before it is replaced.
Read also: When should a tooth be extracted?
Can you extract primary teeth at home?
You cannot extract these teeth without consulting a dentist, as the decision ultimately rests with them, especially since they will perform the necessary examination, as well as check for decay to see if there are other solutions that can be resorted to instead of extraction. So, consult your dentist first.
And remember that these teeth play a fundamental role in maintaining the growth of the bone tissue surrounding the teeth, and extracting them incorrectly may harm this tissue, thus affecting natural processes such as chewing and others.
Method of extracting decayed primary teeth
Once the dentist examines the child and finds that there is no alternative to extracting the tooth, the dentist will then prepare the child for the extraction process. This means that the dentist may not perform the procedure during the first visit.
In Tooth extraction stage Anesthesia will be used so that the child does not feel any pain at all, by numbing the area from which the primary tooth will be extracted, and then moving the tooth from its place and removing it either in one go or in parts if the tooth is completely decayed or completely broken.
Tips after extracting decayed primary teeth
After the extraction of one or more of your child's primary teeth, the doctor will advise you to monitor your child for bleeding and swelling, and will recommend the following:
- Continue to keep the cotton pad in place until the bleeding stops; it should not be removed before 20 minutes after the extraction.
- Apply an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling.
- Give the child plenty of fluids.
- Feed the child soft foods, especially during the first few days.
- Maintain the child's oral hygiene using appropriate mouthwash and toothbrush.
- Use pain relievers prescribed by the doctor.
- Visit the doctor regularly to monitor other teeth and ensure that they do not also develop cavities, and to avoid problems that may result from the extraction of these teeth.
Prohibitions after extracting decayed primary teeth
There are specific warnings that must be followed to ensure proper healing of the area. You must ensure that your child does not do the following:
- The child should not touch the extraction site.
- It is important that the child does not use their tongue or cheek to touch the area, and does not suck on their cheek near the extraction site.
- You should not give hot or extremely cold liquids, or hot foods, on the day of the extraction.
- Make sure your child does not spit when saliva accumulates in the mouth after extraction.
- Monitor your child after the extraction; they should not bite their cheek or tongue immediately after the extraction, especially since the effect of the anesthesia may last for some time.
Does the extraction of decayed primary teeth affect permanent teeth?
The extraction of primary teeth may affect the eruption of permanent teeth, especially since primary teeth play a temporary role in maintaining the space for permanent teeth, and thus help permanent teeth erupt regularly and in their correct position.
It may also affect permanent teeth because the space of extracted primary teeth may be affected by the surrounding teeth, which means the appearance of teeth in incorrect positions.
Given the great importance of these primary teeth, we advise you to preserve them from the start to prevent decay. Here are some tips that should be applied.
How to protect primary teeth from decay?
Because prevention is always better than cure, the best way to avoid problems with primary teeth and their decay is to ensure you adhere to the following:
- Rely on a daily routine for your child's dental care. You must ensure that the child cleans their teeth properly, especially if your child is young.
- Rely on healthy foods to maintain dental hygiene, which means the child should not consume foods and drinks rich in sugars that are harmful to teeth.
- Make sure your child eats foods rich in calcium and protein to maintain healthy teeth.
- Visit the dentist regularly to monitor teeth and solve problems promptly.
Protecting your child's teeth is your primary task, to avoid your child suffering from tooth decay at this early stage. However, if your child develops decay and you need to extract the decayed primary teeth.
Then you should carefully choose your child's dentist to ensure that the dentist will do what is necessary for your child, to guarantee the best results and avoid problems that may result from extracting these teeth. You can visit us at L'ORO Clinic for a unique medical experience for you and your child. Book now.