Cavities are little holes in your teeth caused by tooth decay. Cavities are common in children, and fillings are a safe procedure that will restore your child’s tooth and prevent further tooth decay.

There are several reasons that children are more susceptible to cavities. Some reasons are:

• Poor oral hygiene habits
• consuming sugary food and drinks
• delayed visits to the dentist
• insufficient fluoride
• positioning of teeth

Many parents wonder why you would put a filling in a baby tooth that will eventually be replaced by a permanent tooth. There are several reasons it is beneficial to fill a cavity on a baby tooth. An unfilled cavity can cause pain, or even an abscess or infection. On top of that, cavities can cause severe damage more quickly in baby teeth than in permanent teeth.

Another reason to fill a cavity in a baby tooth is to avoid having to remove the tooth. Losing a baby tooth prematurely can negatively affect the way that permanent teeth grow in.