What age do you loose your last baby tooth? if a 14 year old child has a lot of plaque build up on their teeth can this prevent baby teeth from falling out? is it normal for a 14 year old to still have some of her baby teeth? is plaque black in color and

Baby : Baby teeth and plaque are not related. As the matter of fact, it is actually good that your daughter still has her baby teeth, if her oral hygiene is questionable. It is better to get a cavity in a baby tooth. Black material around teeth is usually tartar. It is hardened plaque that is much more difficult to remove. Even if your daughter brushes her teeth, her technique might be entirely ineffective. Some people do build up more plaque than others, however, if proper oral hygiene is exercised, it is not a problem. Take your daughter to the dentist and have him/her evaluate her brushing technique. Good habits are learned early, and as i said before many times: extensive dental work resulting from neglect, costs more than college tuition. Best wishes, dr. Zev kaufman.

As : As stated by the other docs the black buildup is probably tarter that needs to be professional removed. It is not the cause for retaining baby teeth. Usually we would expect these all to be lost somewhere between 11-12, although slower patterns of these teeth being lost are not always abnormal. Have your dentist check this out to determine if any intervention is necessary by an orthodontist or if it's ok to let nature take it's course.

Plaque : Plaque formation is not related to losing baby teeth. It is possible that some permanent teeth never formed (so no pushing out the baby teeth) or the alignment is preventing the permanent teeth from erupting. Xray evaluation from a dentist or orthodontist is required to determine. Also, sometimes baby teeth roots get fused to the jaw bone (ankylosed) and won't come out without help from a dentist. Black plaque is normally tartar that was not removed from a cleaning visit with a dentist. When it is black, it means it has been there a long time and it requires more effort than the gritty toothpaste normally used to polish teeth. Sometimes it is a reflection on the skills of the dentist or hygienist if this is left behind (despite best efforts, I have even hired hygienists that i found out weren't very good. They left tartar behind, and could not learn to do a better job, so a change was made). Before assuming it is plaque left behind by the hygienist, go to your dentist and express your concerns. It may be something else completely and should be addressed.