When it comes to oral health, six years old is a milestone age for your child. Around this age, they’ll begin to lose teeth in order to start making room for the permanent set. This whole process begins when the six year molars erupt into the mouth behind the last baby molars. They serve as the “first molars” and will create a boundary that will help all of their other adult teeth to come in and align in the mouth.
Many parents aren’t aware of this tooth, so they are confused when their child starts to have new teeth come in when they seemingly haven’t lost any others. That’s exactly what will happen: the permanent teeth will erupt despite the fact that they won’t replace a baby tooth. When parents do notice the teeth coming in, they often incorrectly believe that they are more baby teeth that will eventually be replaced with permanent options when the child gets older. For this reason, some parents don’t understand the gravity of caring for those teeth or the need for fixing them if they experience a cavity.
What To Expect
When these molars come in, it is common for your child to experience some of the teething symptoms that they exhibited when they were a toddler and infant and their other teeth were erupting.
Crankiness, mild fever, diarrhea, and swollen gums are all possibilities. The only benefit to this age is that your child should be better able to communicate the source of their discomfort, allowing you to help them to relieve pain with over the counter pain relievers, cold items, and other techniques. Pediatric dental checkups are important for ensuring that the six year molars are growing in correctly. Your child’s pediatric dentist can ensure that your child is off to a good start with dental hygiene so that they can continue these habits into adulthood.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please call us today at (608) 274-0770.