On a breezy Monday morning, little Gurshaan walked into our clinic with a complaint of a cavity on one of his teeth and a naughty grin. He was advised to get his cavity filled, but well, his mother whispered, almost guilty,
“Doctor… It’s just his milk teeth. I didn’t think they mattered so much.”
But as Gurshaan opened his mouth, we could see the story his baby teeth had been trying to tell long before he arrived: about teething troubles, silent decay, and how early habits shape a child’s adult teeth for life.
This is Gurshaan’s story.
And it’s also the story of thousands of children whose parents believe baby teeth are temporary, therefore less important.
Let’s walk through why those tiny teeth matter more than you think.
The Forgotten Foundations
Baby teeth, commonly known as milk teeth, start erupting around 6 months, and there are 20 of them, each with a job.
But here’s what parents often don’t realize:
Milk teeth are like nature’s blueprint, guiding the teeth numbers and positions of the future children’s adult teeth.
In Gurshaan’s case, his upper molar had deep milk tooth decay that was causing pain. But something else was happening beneath the surface: the infection was inching dangerously close to the developing adult tooth right below it.
That’s when his mother gasped,
“Can baby tooth decay really affect the permanent ones?”
Yes.
And it happens more often than you’d believe.
The Ripple Effect of Milk Tooth Decay
When a baby tooth decays or gets infected:
- It can harm the adult tooth developing underneath.
> White spots
> Weakened enamel
> Malformed adult teeth
> Increased cavity risk later
- It can cause tooth premature loss
Imagine removing a brick from the middle of a wall.
The whole structure shifts.
Similarly, losing baby teeth early makes the neighbouring teeth drift, reducing space for adult teeth, thus leading to:
- Crowding
- Misaligned bites
- Need for orthodontic treatment later
That’s why Gurshaan’s lower incisors were erupting and crooked; the milk tooth next to them had been lost too early.
What Causes Tooth Decay in Infants and Toddlers?
As his mother and I talked, she admitted:
“He sleeps with his milk bottle… maybe that’s why?”
Exactly.
Milk tooth decay isn’t always about chocolates.
It can begin with:
- Nighttime feeding (milk, formula, juice)
- Constant snacking
- Not brushing before bed
- Sharing spoons (transferring cavity-causing bacteria)
- Sticky foods that cling to baby teeth
- Not using fluoride toothpaste
And these problems don’t wait till school age, they often begin before the first birthday.
When Should Children Start Brushing?
Gurshaan had just turned four. He had never brushed independently.
Rule of thumb?
Start brushing as soon as the first tooth erupts.
- Under 3 years – A rice-grain smear of fluoride toothpaste
- Over 3 years – A pea-sized amount
- Parents must supervise brushing till at least age 7–8
- Night brushing is non-negotiable
Because the mouth does not clean itself while sleeping.
Lost Too Soon – Why Timing Matters
Gurshaan had lost one molar at age 4—a tooth supposed to stay until age 10–12.
That early loss had already:
- Disturbed his bite
- Reduced arch space
- Caused shifting between teeth
- Triggered early crowding
- And was going to affect the navigation of his children’s adult teeth
We placed a space maintainer, treated the other decayed molars, and monitored his adult teeth eruption closely.
The Transformation
A month later, Gurshaan returned, this time smiling fully.
His mother said softly,
“I never knew these small teeth mattered so much. I’m glad we came early.”
And that’s when it struck me again:
Baby teeth don’t just help children chew or make their smile adorable.
They shape:
- Speech
- Confidence
- Jaw growth
- Nutrition
- Future dental health
- Alignment of permanent teeth
- Lifelong habits
They are temporary, yes—
but their impact is permanent.