Every person goes through the experience of having their baby teeth fall out to make way for their adult teeth to grow in. While you might think that this process is seamless and comes with no concerns, that's actually not true. Going to the dentist regularly to monitor your child's dental health and the progression of their adult teeth is a must to help prevent any problems from occurring. However, these three myths often prevail. Here's the truth behind these three myths.

Adult Teeth Will Come in Fine On Their Own

For most people, adult teeth grow in after the baby teeth fall out without major issues. If a child's oral health is good thanks to regular hygiene and dentist visits, typically the baby teeth act as guideposts to help lead the adult teeth into the same spot. But this isn't always the case.

In some cases, adult teeth form incorrectly, crash into surrounding teeth, or grow in the wrong direction. Adult teeth are capable of trying to grow in sideways, shoving other baby or adult teeth out of the way in the process. They can also grow in upside down, which can cause major pain and can even put your child at risk if the upper teeth start growing upwards towards the sinus passages. Thankfully, dentists can spot these problems before they become a major threat with dental x-rays.

They Need Help Being Removed 

Many people grew up with parents who were eager to help them to get their baby teeth out. If you had a tooth wiggle for a long period of time and your parent pulled it out for you, you should know that this isn't something you should try to emulate with your child's teeth.

In most circumstances, baby teeth fall out on their own without assistance. Trying to pull one out ahead of time can cause the base of the baby tooth to break off, rather than be naturally released. This can cause the remaining bit of tooth to start decaying in the mouth, where it can lead to major infections or even sepsis if left untreated. If you're concerned that your child's baby teeth haven't gotten out of the way promptly, call or visit a pediatric dentist.

Nothing Bad Happens After Baby Teeth Fall Out

Many people have baby teeth fall out and adult teeth move in without any major health concerns. However, like with any experience of tissue breaking or tearing, problems can occur. For example, when your child's baby teeth fall out or their adult teeth grow in, a hole can be left behind in the gums. While this should seal itself up in time, in the meanwhile, it's at risk of being infected by the myriad of bacteria present in the mouth. Good dental hygiene can help to prevent this, but again, the best thing to do is to get your child's teeth checked out by a dentist to ensure that everything is progressing properly and that the gums are healthy.

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