Importance of Milk Teeth

One of the best investments in your child’s future health could be your attention and guidance on early habits for better dental and oral health. One of the focus areas for our Tooth Fairy Clinic – now operating at The Capstone Clinic is to provide guidance to parents to help them achieve the best standards of oral hygiene and dental health for their children.

First, let us bust some myths about milk teeth. There is a misconception about milk teeth being less important for care and maintenance as they are considered to be “just teeth which will fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth anyway.”

But milk teeth actually serve key roles in not just oral health but also the holistic health of the child.

Here are few reasons for why it is important to keep milk teeth clean and healthy:

1. Milk teeth make space for the permanent teeth to grow in the right direction, thereby developing a proper jaw.
2. Milk teeth help a child speak – without them, a child can’t form simple words with their mouth to communicate and speak clearly.
3. Milk teeth help children to chew and grind their food properly, which in turn allows good nutritious foods to be included in their diet such as nuts, fruits, vegetables and grains.

Unfortunately, parents may not be aware of these essential points with regard to their child’s oral and dental health – from infant stage into the teenage years.

You can start on oral health when they are babies:

The Bottle Feeding Phase:

Not many parents (& grandparents) realize that tooth decay in children usually starts with the bottle feeding phase, which includes age groups upto 3-3 ½ years. Parents tend to feed their children as and when the children demand which in medical terms, is called ad libitum feeding. This includes night feeding, soon after which there is no wiping or washing of the child’s teeth, and often the child goes to sleep with the bottle in the mouth. The result of this is pooling of milk and other bottle feeds around the mouth and teeth.This invites decay-causing bacteria to feed on milk byproducts and produce acids. Continuous pooling of acids on tooth structure leads to decay.I usually discourage parents from such night feeding and advise them to wipe the child’s teeth in between feeds, apart from encouraging them to start brushing twice from the time the first tooth comes in. Weaning from the bottle / breastfeed at sleep times should begin from age 11/2.

The Pre-Nursery/Play School Phase:

Nowadays, kids go to playschool/crèches at a very early age. Here, they are exposed to a lot of sugars and are often rewarded with chocolates and sweets by teachers and caregivers. Parents and teachers are advised to give children rewards other than chocolates or sugary foods, as they have control over what goes into a child’s food intake. Why not give away small incentives like drawing books, puzzles, crayons,pencils, or even colouring books. Providing them with home-cooked foods and snacks allows parents to limit fats and sugars in the diet.

I firmly advocate that the onus of taking care of the child’s dental hygiene lies with the parents, whether they are working or otherwise. It does not take time, only awareness and being mindful of specific contributing factors.

The School going phase:

I recommend parents do the following for ages 3 and above: 

1. An important factor in getting kids to brush is by setting an example of good hygiene habits by parents.It should be understood that a four-year-old will not have the dexterity to brush his/her teeth, and will have to be taught, which takes time. Dexterity is demonstrated when a child can tie their shoelaces in a perfect bow. And that, for most children, does not happen till the age of 8-9 years. It is therefore important for parents to brush their children’s teeth up to then, twice daily.
2. Train children to rinse the mouth after every meal or snack.

• Once children learn how to brush their teeth, parents need to play a supervisory role to ensure that brushing is being done correctly.
• If parents are unsure of the brushing process they should visit their paediatric dentist for guidance.

Here are my top guidelines common for parents of all age groups.

1. Start dental visits for your child from the age of one – parents believe that it is okay to have their dental visit as and when a problem occurs, which is a common mistake. Encouraging early age dental checkups from the time the first baby tooth is out, is essential, as it helps in anticipatory guidance, and early counseling on diet and oral hygiene practices thereby, promoting healthy growth of permanent teeth.
2. Schedule regular dental checkups, as it ensures the following:

• Makes it easier for children in the long run as they move from paediatric dentistry to adult dentistry. It helps to build a rapport with their dentists and dental procedures, so that unnecessary fears of dentistry are kept at bay..
• Reviewing children on a regular basis allows a paediatric dentist to monitor growth and intervene at the right time, if any orthodontic treatment is required.

It is immensely gratifying for the dentist if they can carry a kid through the young ages to a stage where they can take care of their teeth by themselves. Unfortunately, it is also a rarity! Parents, therefore, play a pivotal role in ensuring that their child’s dental health is an important part of overall well-being.