Dental care for children is usually neglected despite the fact that it needs the most attention, considering their sweet tooth and eating habits, in many cases. Children also need to be supervised when they are flossing or brushing their teeth. They have just begun to care for themselves and are still very early in their learning phase.

Find below answers to some frequently asked questions related to paediatric or child care, in dentistry.

Some commonly asked questions …

Is it necessary to fill up cavities in milk teeth , even though they are going to fall-off?

All cavities from milk teeth if not filled up on time, extends Deep to the underlying permanent tooth and the permanent tooth may come up decayed and cause lifetime dental trouble for your child. This can be avoided only by getting all decayed milk teeth filled up regularly on time, and regular dental check-ups.

Does the cavity in my child’s mouth affect my child’s general health?

Yes. Cavity is an accumulation of decayed food particles mixed with bacteria. You may give your child the best clean food & sterilized Mineral water but when your child eats/drinks, the food & water in the mouth mixes with those bacterias & enter into the stomach. So your clean food & water becomes more unhygienic than the tap water & therefore your child maybe having pain, or throat infection or stomach problems all the time.

How to prevent cavities in my child’s teeth?

Reduce chocolates and sticky food substances & brush after it immediately. Night brushing habit compulsory in proper vertical direction only. Regular friendly dental visits with your child every 6 months which motivates the child to take care of his teeth. No eating biscuits or wafers or drinking milk just before going to bed.

I took my child to a dentist but he does not allow the doctor to work on him? What should i do?

Even if the child is uncooperative or scared of dental treatment, his full mouth treatment can be done in one sitting under Conscious Sedation (sleeping condition) routinely in the clinic, No hospital admission is required.

I give my child one full glass of milk before going to bed. Is it good or bad?

Bad! Milk should not be given just before going to bed, but half an hour before going to bed. Brushing is compulsory after milk, as milk is glucose which is a form of sugar which causes cavity if left on the tooth over night.

My child is having thumb sucking habit, nail biting habit etc. Will this effect his/her teeth? What should i do if he/she is not listening to us?

Yes, such habits directly affect the child’s teeth as well as child’s upper jaw and chin, which may make his face look ugly.Take your child to a good Pedodontist (child teeth specialist) who gives habit breaking appliance to your child and make him look good in future, and he/she can avoid the need of an Orthodontic (Braces) treatment.

How do i know my child is having a cavity?

Cavity is a hole or discolored surface in the form of yellow, brown Or black colour. It is a mixture of decayed food particles and bacteria, accumulated for days & weeks & months inside that hole.

Does cavity occur in the milk tooth also? How?

Yes. If the child does not have the habit of brushing in the night then eating biscuits, drinking milk, etc. just before sleeping can cause cavity even in the milk tooth. Brushing should be the last thing before sleeping.

My child’s front teeth are decayed. What should i do for it?

Take your child to a good Pedodontist (Child Teeth Specialist) who can treat these decayed teeth by filling or by Root Canals. Do not extract (remove) the front teeth before taking a second opinion Of another good dentist. If not treated child develops Inferiority complex & may become a dull child or may have lifetime cavity problems in his permanent teeth or may require Braces Treatment in future.

My child always complains of pain during eating? Why? What should i do?

Pain during eating may be because of cavity in his teeth (superficial or deep) which should either be filled up or Root Canalled. As far as possible avoid extraction and avoid subsiding the pain by pain killer tablets or by antibiotics.

Should my child brush once or twice? Why?

Twice. Night brushing is important for dental health and morning brushing is important for full day mouth freshness. If night brushing is not done, child is sure to get cavities as bacteria enters in our mouth mostly during night time and causes cavities.

Should i give cold drinks and chocolates to my child? If not why?

Do not give cold-drinks and chocolates to the child as far as possible. If by chance given sometimes, make sure the child brushes within two hours or else child may start developing a cavity in one of the tooth that night.

Should i take my child for a dental visit every six months and why? How will it benefit my child?

Advantages of visiting the Pedodontist (child Teeth Specialist) every 6 months from age 3 years to 14 years are:

  1. Child gets motivated for proper dental care right from his early age and becomes dental friendly.
  2. Pedodontist keeps a check on the child’s teeth, and any cavity developing, can be stopped and filled in the first layer only and avoid it to become deep and painful for your child.
  3. Pedodontist advises you which milk tooth is going to fall off now, so you can keep a check at that region to avoid permanent tooth coming from a wrong direction from below.
  4. Pedodontist keeps a check on child’s growing jaws, lips and teeth, and can redirect its position to achieve good facial looks to avoid the need of Orthodontic (Braces) treatment in future.
What preventive treatment can i give to my child to benefit his forthcoming permanent teeth?

Pedodontist can give Cavity Prevention Treatment for children wherever required like: –

  1. Fluoride treatment can be given to children who have lack of fluoride in their teeth which is the cause of multiple cavities in milk and permanent teeth.
  2. Pit & fissure Sealant treatment can be given to seal all rough surfaces on the teeth where food tend to accumulate and cause cavity in milk and permanent teeth.