The development of primary teeth begins early during pregnancy.
At birth, the child is born with a complete set of 20 hidden primary teeth, also known as baby teeth. They begin to erupt by the age of 6 months.

Most of the primary teeth will have erupted by the age of 3 years. They will soon be replaced by the permanent teeth in a long process starting at the age of 6 years.

The eruption and shedding times vary from one child to another within a range of time.

Dental caries, also known as tooth decay or cavities, is the main disease that affects the teeth of any individual.

It’s caused by bacteria and microorganisms that produce acids that harm the enamel surface of the tooth. In simpler words, it’s the process by which sugars and a type of bacteria in the mouth can cause harmful effects on the three surfaces of the tooth, resulting in a cavity in the tooth and causing pain and discomfort.
A disturbing fact is that caries is more likely to occur and develop in primary teeth than in permanent ones.

It happens when the child consumes a lot of sugary foods and drinks for long periods of time.

Early childhood caries, or baby bottle caries, is the type of tooth decay that can affect baby teeth as soon as they erupt, and it can affect one tooth or more.

Tooth decay, or dental caries, can vary in appearance from one child to another.
But most commonly, it begins as white spots on the outer surface of the tooth.

An early cavity or decay begins to show, and it gets darker in color; it has a light brown color.

Then, as the cavity progresses, it becomes deeper and darker in color, and it has a dark brown or black color.

It gets painful as it proceeds to the inner layers of the tooth as the cavity grows bigger.

But the decay is not always painful; sometimes it is discovered by parents or doctors without any complaint from the child.

Prevention of dental caries includes a routine of regular tooth brushing at least twice per day and dental flossing once a day.

As soon as the first tooth appears, parents should begin brushing a baby’s teeth with a rice-sized small amount of fluoride toothpaste twice a day. And of course, never share utensils between family members.

Make sure your child eats a well-balanced diet and limits snacks that are sticky and sugary.

Fluoride application in the dental office is an effective method of prevention. It’s proven to reduce dental caries by 38% over two years when done every six months.

Like permanent teeth, a child’s teeth should be treated from decay in the dental office under local or general anesthesia (according to the case).

There are several types of dental filling materials that can be selected by the dentist, such as glass ionomer, composite, or amalgam.
Also, there are a variety of fixed restorations that can be made in selected cases, such as zirconium or stainless-steel crowns.

In some cases, the dentist must extract a tooth as a result of extreme decay or tooth crowding.