Ask Doctor Cory.

Dear Dr. Cory:

If I were three years old and lost two teeth, would they grow back? How many years would it take?

Ben Cunningham Clinton, Mississippi

Dear Ben:

Neither baby teeth nor permanent teeth grow back after they are knocked out. (Permanent teeth can sometimes be reimplanted.) At age three, you would still have your baby teeth. It's not until you are between ages five and six that permanent teeth begin to replace baby teeth.

Baby teeth hold the space in the jaw for the permanent teeth and help provide normal growth of the jawbones and facial muscles. If baby teeth are lost too early, nearby teeth can tip or move into the empty space. Then when the permanent teeth start to come into the mouth, there may not be enough room. They may come in crowded, crooked, or out of line with the other teeth. For these reasons, if a baby tooth is lost too early, the dentist may want to put in a space maintainer to hold a space for the permanent tooth.

Although baby teeth fall out and are replaced, they are just as important to your dental health as the permanent teeth that follow them.

Dear Dr. Cory:

Why do we get warts?

Airika Zandee Biloxi, Mississippi

Dear Dr. Cory:

What causes warts to grow? Is there a way to get rid of warts? Please let me know.

Frieda Hofer Chester, Montana

Dear Arika and Frieda:

Warts are not pretty to look at, but they are harmless growths on the skin. They are caused by the human papillomavirus. The virus invades skin cells and makes them multiply rapidly. Warts are contagious, but they tend to spread on the person with the warts rather than to other people. Avoid picking them to keep them from spreading.

They usually are not painful, except when they develop in a place that receives a lot of pressure--such as the foot (plantar warts).

Warts will disappear on their own. It may take as long as two to three years, though.

If you think you have warts, check with your doctor to make sure.

One type of wart treatment is the skin patch. A new patch with medicine on it is applied to the wart each night. Sometimes the wart goes away within a few weeks. You can get a kit without a prescription at a pharmacy. Your doctor can also remove warts by surgery or by freezing them.

Wart viruses can be found in the showers or locker rooms at pools or gyms. To help avoid getting plantar warts, wear sandals or thongs when you're in these areas.

Sincerely,

Cory Servaas, M.D.

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