By Dr. Neromini FaguMany of us are familiar with the famous song, “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”. Have you ever wondered what inspired the song and what is its significance? The song originated in 1944 and it came into being when the author, Don Gardner, was teaching music at an elementary school in Smithtown, New York.He was asked to write a song for the school’s annual Christmas concert. His inspiration for the song came about in listening to a class of second graders. When their teacher asked about what gifts they wanted for Christmas, each student began their response with “All I want for Christmas is….” He noticed that a majority of the students had their two front teeth missing and hence he penned the lyrics… “All I want For Christmas is … My Two Front Teeth”. The song was a hit at the concert and it went on to become a worldwide hit.So,Cheap NFL Jerseys, why did so many of the children have missing front teeth? Well, second graders are usually aged 6-7 years and during this time, the baby central incisors are usually exfoliated to make room for the adult teeth. The normal process is for the roots of the baby teeth to dissolve and the permanent adult teeth to grow into place. The bottom central incisors are usually the first baby teeth to be lost – at around six years of age. Soon to follow are the top two central incisors.For most children the first loose tooth appears around 6 years of age but this can happen as early as four years or as late as eight years. Once the tooth starts to become loose, it usually takes a couple of months before it falls out.Usually, a shaky tooth will fall out on its own or get stuck into food that is bitten into such as an apple. It is not uncommon for a child to accidentally swallow a tooth that has come loose and if this happens there is no cause for alarm.Sometimes, a loose tooth may not want to ‘let go” and would remain in the mouth for weeks causing the child some amount of discomfort. Never try to yank out a tooth because if it breaks and the root has not been fully dissolved, the remaining root portion may get infected.It will normally take about six years for all the baby teeth to be replaced by the adult ones. For some late bloomers, their teeth may take longer to fall out. This usually is not cause for concern but your dentist may suggest taking a dental x-ray to ensure that the adult teeth are present below.If your child’s adult teeth has erupted and the baby teeth are still in position, then you need to see your dentist to have the baby teeth removed. Retained baby teeth may cause the adult teeth to be misaligned and pose a problem that may be expensive to correct later on.It is important to take care of your child’s baby teeth even though they will be eventually replaced by their adult teeth. Teaching your child the importance of good oral health at a young age will go a long way in ensuring that their permanent teeth last long into adulthood. Daily brushing and flossing as well as regular dental check-ups are necessary components for maintaining good oral health. Merry Christmas to you all!For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to [email protected]
