TOP TIPS FROM DENTISTS

Brush up on the latest advice on how to care for your baby’s teeth.

OUR EXPERTS
• Dr Chin Shou King is a dental surgeon and director of T32 Junior at Camden Medical Centre.
• Dr Catherine Hong is a consultant in the Department of Preventive Dentistry at National University Hospital.

TRUE!
Tooth decay is normal. It’s a rite of passage for every kid.
Dr Hong: The most common dental problem encountered in children is dental cavities. But it is not part and parcel of childhood. Dental caries is a chronic disease and usually takes months to develop. In severe tooth decay, the child may need to have all his baby teeth extracted because the cavities may be too large to be filled. This is unfortunate, as he has to go without teeth for a period of time, which can range from months to three years, depending on his age. Sometimes, that also means he has to change his diet until the permanent teeth erupts.
Because of the extent of dental treatments needed, such procedures are often performed under sedation at the hospital. Although it is rare, a complication from a tooth infection was reported to be responsible for the death of a 12-year-old boy in the US a few years ago.

MYTH!
It is no big deal for kids to lose their milk teeth early because they will get their permanent set eventually.
Dr Hong: Good oral health is essential for their overall well-being. Baby teeth are important for eating, speech development and appearance. It also helps to maintain the space for the permanent teeth to come in.
Dr Chin: On average, the last baby tooth falls out only at the age of 12 years. It is important to retain the baby teeth for as long as possible. Lose the milk teeth too early and there could potentially be a case of overcrowding when the adult teeth come in.

MYTH!
If sweets are bad for the teeth, surely chomping on fruits would be healthier 
for my tot’s teeth.
Dr Hong: Fruits contain fructose (fruit sugars), which can also cause decay. Their potential to cause problems depends on the frequency and the way they are eaten. If your child falls asleep drinking a bottle of juice, she can develop severe tooth decay and dental erosion, even if the juice does not contain added sugar.
Dried fruits, such as raisins, may also cause decay if they get stuck to your child’s teeth and are not brushed away. Freshly cut fruits, however, are considered to be better food choices than sweets and dried fruits, as long as your little one doesn’t nibble on them for prolong periods of time.

TRUE!
You need to floss your 
tot’s teeth, too.
Dr Chin: You should start flossing his teeth from the time he has two teeth in contact with each other, so that the habit is ingrained from young. It is not easy flossing a child’s teeth, but you should try to do so at least once a day to get rid of food trapped between teeth, which can cause decay.

MYTH!
My baby won’t get cavities on breast milk.
Dr Hong: Although breast milk has been shown to cause fewer cavities than other food products, it contains a type of milk sugar called lactose, which can be used by cavity-causing bacteria to produce acid that damages the tooth.
Dr Chin: I’d advise parents to use a piece of wet cloth to wipe the surface of Baby’s teeth after every milk feed, to lower the concentration of the milk sugar.

(to be continued…)

Read the November 2011 issue of Young Parents for the full story, and more local tips to make you a better mum or dad.