Beginning dental care early is important for your child’s health and to keep teeth healthy for a lifetime. Healthy baby teeth help children eat and speak clearly. Baby teeth guide permanent adult teeth into the proper position. Some baby teeth are not replaced by permanent teeth until the age of 12 or 13. Dental care includes cleaning your baby’s gums even before the teeth come into the mouth. Keeping your child’s teeth and gums clean is the easiest way to keep them healthy.