In short: Yes, treat them. Cavities in baby teeth cause real pain and infection, make eating and speaking harder, and — because baby teeth hold space — early loss crowds the permanent teeth. Back baby teeth aren’t lost until age 10–12, so decay has years to cause trouble. Early treatment is quick and gentle.
Yes — cavities in baby teeth are a real problem and should be treated, even though the teeth will eventually fall out. This is one of the most common and costly misunderstandings in children’s dental care.
Here’s why baby teeth matter:
- They can cause real pain and infection. A cavity that reaches the nerve hurts just as much in a baby tooth as in an adult one. Untreated, it can lead to an abscess, swelling and infection that may need urgent treatment and even affect the child’s general health.
- They affect eating, speech and confidence. Painful or decayed teeth make it hard for a child to eat properly and can affect nutrition, sleep and how clearly they speak.
- They hold space for the permanent teeth. Baby teeth guide the adult teeth into the right position. If decay causes a baby tooth to be lost too early, neighbouring teeth drift into the gap and crowd out the permanent tooth — often leading to crooked teeth and orthodontic treatment later.
- Decay spreads. The bacteria causing cavities pass easily to other teeth, including the new permanent teeth as they come through.
The back baby teeth, in particular, aren’t lost until around age 10–12 — so a cavity in a 4-year-old’s molar has many years to cause trouble if ignored.
Treating a cavity early — with a small filling or preventive care — is quick, gentle and far kinder than waiting for a painful abscess. And catching decay early lets us keep the treatment simple.
If you’ve spotted a spot or hole, or your child complains of tooth pain, book a children’s check-up sooner rather than later.