ASK THE DENTIST: Q&A: The Importance of Early Dental Check-up for Children

Q: I am a mother of 2. I have a 6-year-old boy and a 3-year-old daughter. I have only brought my son to see our family dentist once when he was 1.5 years old. He has never had problems with his teeth, but recently I noticed some black stains on his front teeth. They are also quite shaky and he complained that he does not dare to chew on the shaky part of the tooth. My daughter has never gone to the dentist before. At what age and how often should I bring my children to see a dentist? I am working full-time and do not have time to bring them to see a dentist regularly. Is there a difference between a pediatric dentist and a family dentist?

A: We understand that life gets busy, especially for working mummies. However, we would encourage you to bring your children to the dentist for their dental check-up as soon as possible. A child’s first dental visit should occur as soon as his or her first tooth erupts, or at the very latest by one year old. The first dental check-up identifies any potential issues with respect to the dental growth and development of your child. The dentist will also advise you on nutrition intake and home dental care (for example, proper tooth brushing techniques) for your children. Subsequent visits should happen every 6 months.

From the symptoms you have shared about your son, his loose teeth could be due to the eruption of his adult teeth. A visit to the dentist for an examination will definitely help assuage any issues that your son may have and prevent them from worsening.

Black stains on baby teeth could be due chromogenic (colour-producing) stains. This may be caused by chewable or liquid-iron supplements, or even multiple vitamins with added iron. It may also be caused by chromogenic bacteria. These stains polish off easily. Some populations naturally form a black line on the teeth at the gums lines of all the teeth. Where it comes from we do not know, but as the type of bacteria changes as the child grows up, these stains will also reduce with the eruption of the permanent teeth.

The difference between a family dentist and a pediatric dentist is that a pediatric dentist spends an additional two to three years in specialty training following dental school and limits his/her practice to treating children only. Pediatric dentists are primary and specialty oral care providers for infants and children through adolescence, possibly including those with special health needs. The challenges of scheduling for your children’s dental visits will pay off in the long run and ensure that they do not have underlying early childhood caries.

Dr Daylene Leong is Dental Specialist in Periodontics with Specialist Dental Group®, Singapore. She received her training in the specialty area of Periodontology from the University of Michigan, USA. Dr Leong is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. She has a special interest in periodontal regeneration and aesthetics, gingival plastic surgery and dental implants. For more information, visit www.specialistdentalgroup.com.

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Specialist Dental Group® is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For details, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.