No matter what age you are, cavities can strike. But children's oral health is directly connected to their development as they grow. This means that if a cavity causes the loss of a tooth, it will have a negative effect on a child's development. As a result, fast treatment is important if your child has cavities.

Does your child have cavities? Here are five reasons why those cavities need treatment sooner rather than later.

1. Tooth decay in baby teeth can affect incoming adult teeth

Children have 20 baby teeth, 10 in each arch. The adult teeth, of which there are 32, develop in the jawbone behind the baby teeth. If a baby tooth suffers a cavity followed by severe tooth decay, that tooth decay could affect the adult tooth behind the baby tooth. The tooth decay could spread to the adult tooth, and cause physical damage or staining that may require treatment at a later time.

2. Baby teeth keep the space so adult teeth erupt correctly

When baby teeth fall out, they leave a space for the adult teeth to erupt. But if a baby tooth is lost too early, the resulting space may close over time, leaving little space for the adult teeth to erupt. This can cause overcrowding. Your child may then need orthodontic treatment to correct the problem.

3. Baby teeth have less protection than adult teeth

Adult teeth have a thick layer of enamel and dentin. But baby teeth only have a thin layer of enamel and dentin. So baby teeth can succumb to tooth decay much faster than adult teeth can. For that reason, cavities in baby teeth need fast treatment.

4. Missing teeth can make healthy eating habits difficult

If cavities lead to the loss of one or more baby teeth, your child will struggle to eat healthy foods such as vegetables and meats. As a result, your child might not get the nutrients they need. And missing teeth can also make chewing difficult. If your child doesn't chew their food properly, they could begin to suffer from indigestion.

5. Missing or visibly damaged teeth can affect self-esteem

Missing or damaged teeth inevitably affect self-esteem. Self-esteem is important to growing children. To ensure your child's self-esteem doesn't suffer, treat cavities fast.

Tooth cavities can progress quickly if not treated early. The aforementioned problems may then occur. If you see that your child's teeth have cavities, don't put treatment off. Take your child to a children's dentist to learn more.