Parents’ guide to good DENTAL CARE

My daughter is one year old. When should I take her for her first dentist visit?

- DR. MEDHA KRISHNAN

— Garima Shetty, Bengaluru

A child’s first dental visit should take place between one to one-and-a-half years of age. Early consultation allows dental professionals to monitor tooth eruption, assess oral hygiene practices, and identify potential risk factors.

When dental visits begin early, children are also more likely to develop familiarity and comfort with clinical settings, reducing anxiety in later years. Preventive guidance offered during this stage often determines long-term oral health outcomes.

Research in paediatric dentistry indicates that early preventive visits significantly reduce the incidence of early childhood caries, reinforcing the importance of timely professional consultation.

My five-year-old daughter eats a lot of sweets. Should I worry about dental caries? Since her milk teeth will fall and permanent teeth will replace them, I presume that these dental cavities will not cause any damage.

— Lina Varghese, Trivandrum

A persistent misconception among parents is that milk teeth are temporary and therefore inconsequential. Clinical evidence, however, clearly demonstrates the opposite. Primary teeth play a critical role in chewing, speech development, facial growth, and providing space for permanent teeth.

Neglecting them can result in infections, pain, and premature tooth loss, which subsequently affects the alignment of adult teeth. When early decay is not treated promptly, it adversely impacts children’s nutritional intake and overall well-being.